Blackhawk Helicopter pilot opens new food truck
A local veteran that served our country by flying Blackhawk helicopter missions for the Army has now made it his new mission to serve great food to the people he fought so hard to protect.
Nic Transtrom flew Blackhawks in Iraq with the prestigious 101st Airborne Division.
His career in the military was cut short when a hard landing broke his back.
He then had to try to figure out what he wanted to do.
Nic said “I served in combat, I served in the military and you come home and it’s like if you can’t enjoy it and live the freedoms that you fought for then what was it all for? So my theme is live free and eat BBQ!
It makes us happy, it puts a smile on our face and everybody loves it!”
Blackhawk BBQ Pit is one of the newest food trucks in south-east Idaho, serving up great food, for a great price and a coolness factor that can’t be denied.
Nic lives in Blackfoot with his wife and six daughters. He came home from military service when he was injured and didn’t know what he wanted to, or how he wanted to put his life back together.
He says he entered a very dark time in his life.
“I didn’t think I had much to offer anyone anymore, I mean I was down in the dumps. It was a sad place, but when I realized man these are my freedoms too and I have to start living them, what was the turning point for me personally.
Nic credits his recovery to friends, family, professionals and a community that reached out to him and helped him get back on his feet.
Now he is giving back to his community in the way he knows best.
His desire to serve his country has taken him all over the world. The menu at Blackhawk BBQ Pit brings south-east Idaho a taste of the places he’s been.
“When I was in the South, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and stuff they did a lot of this style of barbecue and I just loved it, It was great. After I moved home I missed it and when I was trying to think of what to do next … here we are. I found something that I could do that I love. That’s where my motto of live free and eat barbecue comes from.”
Nic wants to share that freedom with the communities in the area and also focus some special love on our hometown heroes.
He says “I have such an appreciation for all of our local heroes. The police men, the firefighters, the EMT’s all of our veterans and everyone always has been so good to me as a veteran and you know I would just like to help recognize those guys too.”
Blackhawk BBQ Pit is a bit of a moving target traveling to various communities, but it is worth tracking down.
The best way to find them is on Facebook. They post their location daily so you will know just where to go to get some amazing food and help a local veteran live his dream.
