News 6 Mashup: June 20, 2022

Here is this week’s News 6 mashup of stories for the week of June 12, 2022, straight from AWN News 6 Correspondent, Jolene McNutt:

3D Printed Tourniquets Heading to Ukraine

Jakub Kaminski, a robotics engineering graduate student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, received “a grim message from his friend, a surgeon in Ukraine: Tourniquets were in short supply, and without them, many Ukrainian soldiers could bleed out and die,” reported Stars and Stripes.

Kaminski thought that he could design a tourniquet that could be3D printed. Eight versions later, he created a design durable enough for war but also easy enough for a soldier to use. He uploaded the design to the internet where other individuals and companies with 3D printers have accessed it. Together, they have printed “roughly 5,000 reusable tourniquets that are bound for Ukraine.” The printed pieces will be stitched to cloth and  then sent to the battlefield.

“It’s a beautiful thing,” he said. “If you make people in Ukraine feel better, and enable people to help. … This is something really special.”

IRS Mileage Rate Increases

A bit of relief is coming for those of you facing official travel this summer, reported Military.com. The mileage rate for PCSing will be increasing from 18 cents to 22 cents per mile. For those traveling for TDY, the rate will increase “from about 59 cents to 63 cents for the second half of the year.” Record high fuel costs “prompted the IRS to bump up its benchmark standard mileage expense rate.”

Patriotic NASCAR Race Designed by Airman

At a NASCAR Memorial Day weekend race, one car was decked out in an olive drab design by Air Force Staff Sgt. Sabatino DiMascio. His design paid homage to C-47s flown in World War II, reported the Department of Defense.

“I wanted to design a car that stood out and signified a great part of our history, both Air Force and Army Air Corps,” said DiMascio.

The No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro SS is driven by Jordan Anderson who agreed to use the patriotic color scheme.

“It turns out that [Anderson’s] grandfather, Maj. Ralph Clifton Anderson Sr., flew into D-Day on a C-47,” DiMascio said. The design featured a color scheme of olive drab, gold plating, and “black and white ‘invasion’ stripes like the ones that were painted on Allied aircraft during World War II. The stripes were crucial for crews returning to their bases to be identified as friendly aircraft.” Check out pictures of the final design at Defense.gov

This Week in History

I’m going off script a little bit this week since we’re heading into a little summer break here at Army Wife Talk Radio! Summer is in full swing and I hope that you are finding ways to enjoy this toasty season! Here are a few fun summer facts I dug up!

1. There are more than 2,000 museums participating in the Blue Star Museums program this summer. It’s a great way to plan an inexpensive day trip to a museum near you!
2. Did you know that Americans eat enough hot dogs on July 4 to stretch from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles – five times. Maybe this summer you could choose a new food to try grilling!
   Oddly enough, a hot dog stand was rumored to have no fewer than two Russian missiles aimed at it during the duration of the Cold War. “It was said that the Soviet Union watched the comings and goings of top U.S. military brass in and out of the tiny structure in the middle of the [Pentagon] courtyard every day. They surmised it must be an important planning center or command and control bunker.” Turns out it was just really good hot dogs!
3. Humans are scientifically proven to be happier in the summer, according to a 2011 study published in the journal, Science. Clearly they did not interview anyone stationed at 29 Palms or Fort Bliss.
   Actually, according to Military Times, the hottest bases are Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, and Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida. Yikes. Get your AC on!
4. If you’re lucky enough to be stationed near Fairbanks, Alaska you can attend the Alaska Goldpanners annual Midnight Sun Baseball game. It’s held every year on July 21. This year is their 117th celebration!