With a 130-day National Football League lockout now just a memory, servicemembers and the military community are ready for plenty of pigskin, and pro football enthusiasts received their initial chance to buy game tickets on August 1.

Over two dozen fans converged on the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Community Center Leisure Travel Office offices to purchase Redskins combination packages that included a pair of tickets to a FedEx Field preseason game and two tickets to a regular season contest.

Overall, 1,000 tickets are for sale for a 2011 schedule that will feature patriotism, intrigue and a handful of interesting subplots. On Sunday, Sept. 11 " the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon " the Redskins host their National Football Conference East rival, the New York Giants. Quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots come to the D.C. area on December 11 and two weekends later, a Christmas Eve contest is scheduled to bring former Redskin quarterback Donovan McNabb and the Minnesota Vikings to town.

Of course, no Redskins schedule would be complete without a visit from the Dallas Cowboys who invade the District on Sunday, Nov. 20. On the first day of installation sales, a number of games were the most popular.

"Today, the Eagles (Oct. 16) was a very popular game," JBM-HH Community Center Facility Manager Andy Finnerty said. "I thought the Cowboys would be the number one [seller].

"For a Monday, it was OK," Finnerty said of the ticket sales." I would have liked to have seen more. I think a lot of people might still be apprehensive [about the lockout], but now, there seems to be excitement that the lockout has been lifted and there will be a season this year." First in line to purchase tickets was Lt. Col. Greg Myer and his Family. The Myers decided on the August 12 preseason game pitting the Redskins against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the home Eagles game.

"We'll be rooting for the Eagles; my dad is from Philadelphia," said the lieutenant colonel, who along with his Family, will invite his dad to the Eagles game.

Old Guard Staff Sgt. Robert Roseboro was also eyeing a couple of special dates.

"I want to get the home opener and the Cowboys [game] because they are the biggest rival," Roseboro said while he waited his turn at the community center office. "I was watching all the work they were doing to get [the lockout] done. I knew they would overcome the lockout. I'm glad they did. I wouldn't know what I'd be doing if I wasn't watching football."

According to Finnerty and the office staff, the base has been selling Redskins tickets for a quarter of a century, and football fans holding active or retired military status and Department of Defense employees travel from as far away as Delaware and Pennsylvania to purchase lower level, end zone seats for FedEx Field and RFK Stadium games. For more information on ticket sales, call 703-696-3470.