Here is this week’s News 6 mashup of stories for the week of June 13, 2022, straight from AWN News 6 Correspondent, Jolene McNutt:

Food Insecurity Rises Among Active Duty Families

One in five military families experienced food insecurity in 2021 – up from one in eight in 2019, reported Military.com. A survey by the Center for Strategic and International Studies and Military Family Advisory Network found that “high rates of spouse unemployment, moving and child care shortages are driving the growing rate of food insecurity among active duty military families.” Additional stresses included emergencies such as veterinarian costs, auto expenses or natural disasters like the ice storm in Texas.

“A survey by Blue Star Families released earlier this year found that the spouse unemployment rate in military families is at 20% and more than 63% are underemployed.” Each of these multiple factors impacting financial stability for military families. In response, Congress has ordered a new report to “shed more light on the scope of the issue.” That review is due to be released October 1. 

If you are struggling to stretch your food budget – it’s okay to get help. The first place CSIS recommends is applying for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also called SNAP. To apply, check to see if you are eligible in the state that you live in by visiting the Food and Nutrition Service website. You also may be eligible for a Summer Food Service Program to help bridge the summer gap between school sessions. Check with your local church for food banks and programs.

New Bill Proposed for Free Access to Tricare for National Guard & Reserves

“Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., said she plans to introduce new legislation to expand health care coverage for military reservists, including some 60,000 National Guard members who lack health insurance when they are not on military duty,” reported Stars and Stripes.

Under the bill, free access TRICARE coverage would be expanded to all service members in the National Guard, and Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine reserves who are currently only eligible for free health care while under specific active-duty military statuses.  

Coast Guard Pilots Transform Helicopter to RV

I thought I had seen it all when it came to RV renovations over the past two covid-inspired years. But this one tops them all. Coast Guard helicopter pilots, Blake Morris and Maggie Morgan, purchased a 44-year old SA 330 Puma helicopter, that had previously flown in Afghanistan, on Facebook Marketplace in 2020. Over the past two years, the couple has spent over 900 hours gutting, patching, and renovating the helicopter body – transforming it into an RV complete with a bed, kitchen, bathroom and plenty of space for their adorable dogs. You can read all of the details of this renovation (including the preserved flight control stick and switches in the cockpit!) at Task and Purpose.

Follow the couple’s journey on Instagram: Blake Morris (@helicamper_rv)

This Week in History

Father’s Day is just around the corner and I did a bit of exploring on the history of how it came to be. According to History.com, Mother’s Day was the predecessor to Father’s day. It was an easy sell for families and – the popularity spread from one celebration in May of 1908, to official status by May of 1914! The first Father’s Day was officially celebrated on June 19, 1910 by Sonora Smart Dodd who wanted to honor her father, a veteran, and a widower, who had raised six children as a single parent. However, it wasn’t until 1972 – a full 58 years – for the United States to declare the day an official holiday.  Ideal Home had some interesting facts about the holiday – Did you know that a tie is the most popular Father’s Day gift? And the most unimaginable: the father who hold the record for having the most children was Feodor Vassilyev a peasant from Moscow who lived in the 1700s. His first wife had 69 – yes 69 – children. She had 16 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of quadruplets. 

Photo by Jomjakkapat Parrueng on Unsplash and Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash