Howdy y’all and buckle up for this week’s News 6 update!

Unicycling for Wounded Warriors 

Luke Oakley, an Air Force veteran, recently completed a grueling seven week road trip on an interesting set of wheel, singular: a unicycle.

He started in Myrtle beach, South Carolina and ended in Venice Beach, California by the Santa Monica Pier. 

His mission was to raise funds and awareness to a cause near and dear to his heart; the wounded warrior project. 

At the time of arrival he had raised 2100 dollars on his go fund me page.

His journey was approximately 3,000 miles and he was helped by 20 military veteran families along the route who offered him lodging and a charger for his unicycle.

He tracked approximately 80 miles a day. When asked by KTBS news what inspired his charitable motivations he said: 

“I was fortunate to not be in a situation where I was deployed. However, others were not. I feel like it’s important to help and support them anyway we can,” 

You can still donate to his go fund me (https://www.gofundme.com/f/cross-country-trip-on-an-electric-unicycle)

 And help him get to his goal of 5000 dollars. 

While I’m more of a car gal myself, if your mode of transportation leads to benefiting our veterans it’s a good way to travel! 

Find out more at KTBS.com

Soldier Receives Rare Award After Saving Woman from Assault  

U.S. Army Spc. Rene J. Rodriguez received the Soldier’s Medal Award on July 19th in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. This award is the highest one a soldier can receive during peacetime. 

His medal citation says:

“For heroism involving voluntary risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy while serving with the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. On October 20, 2022, in the vicinity of Wahiawa, Hawaii, Specialist Rene J. Rodriguez, with complete disregard for his own safety, swiftly moved to protect a woman enduring a violent assault. Recognizing the woman’s risk of serious injury or death, Specialist Rodriguez, with no regard for himself, moved through a crowd of bystanders observing the assault and intentionally positioned himself between the victim and the attacker. Using his body as a shield, he endured numerous strikes from the assailant while moving the woman into his vehicle in an effort to depart the scene. He continued to protect the woman until law enforcement arrived at the scene. Absent Specialist Rodriguez’s selfless act despite great danger to himself, the victim may have been grievously injured or killed. By his demonstrated heroism and gallantry in risking his life to save another, Specialist Rodriguez’s actions reflect great credit upon himself, the 25th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.”

He quietly went on his way after this grueling event, but a witness on scene reported his bravery to his chain of command. 

“Without question, Spc. Rodriguez risked his life to save the life of another,” said U.S. Army Col. Robert Shaw, the 3rd IBCT, 25th Inf. Div. commander. “Spc. Rodriguez did what was right, helping a Hawaiian woman he didn’t know. There were others there that day who did not act, but Rene Rodriguez did.”

At receiving the award Rodriguez said: “

“This honor is a testament to the bravery and sacrifice displayed by Soldiers who have come before me, as well as those who serve alongside me,” said Rodriguez. “Receiving the Soldier’s Medal is a humbling experience that reminds me of the values we hold dear as Soldiers: courage, selflessness and dedication to the greater good.”

Way to go Spc. Rodriguez! Your willingness to lay down your life and safety for a stranger is at the core of army values. Your future is bright, Mahalo for your service!

Find out more at dvidshub.net

The Airborne Chorus’ Got Talent

If you were tuning in to America’s Got Talent on July 11th, you may have recognized a familiar sight to many of us. A chorus of military members, looking spiffy in their uniforms, took the stage to entertain and honor their own.

They were the 82nd Airborne Chorus out of Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and they represent the 19,000 soldiers that call it home.

The song they chose? My Girl by the temptations. 

“It’s sort of an homage to the chorus of the past,” Spc. Oscar Roldan, who was a soloist in the performance, told Military Times. “Our brothers and sisters of the past chorus have always done this piece. … It’s something we’re very good at and it’s a way to pay tribute to those that came before us.”

They dedicated the performance to Spc. Elijah Crawford, a fellow chorus member who died a week before they auditioned. 

The chorus received all four positive votes from the judges and are off to the next round. 

Congrats to the 82nd Airborne Chorus! We can’t wait to watch your journey to fame and glory and hope you make it…… all the way. 

Get it? The motto? No? Anyway,

Find out more at militarytimes.com

Today in History 

On July 24, 1897, Amelia Earhart was born in Atchinson, Kansas.

She would disappear almost exactly 40 years later in one of those puzzling aviary mysteries to date.

Amelia was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, doing so in 1932 and earning the United States Distinguished Flying Cross.

She was also a founding member of the 99s, which is to this day a club for female aviators.

She broke many other records and put female aviation in the history books. She also taught at Purdue university and was the author of several books.

In 1937 during an attempt to become the first woman to circumnavigate the globe, she and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the middle of the Pacific Ocean by Howland Island. They were last seen in New Guinea. 

Her disappearance has remained an international sensation and mystery almost 90 years later, as they vanished without a trace.

The most common and likely theory was that they crashed into the ocean, too deep to find the wreckage, but there’s theories that range from cannibalism, desert island kingdoms, to aliens.

Spouses at Ft. Leavenworth! You can see where she was born just 20 minutes up the road at the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum. It’s a fun little day trip and  Atchinson has the cutest downtown area! 

That’s it for me! I’m Emma Tighe with News 6 where information empowers!