July 12, 2016 –
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — In just a few months, an Army Reserve Soldier went from driving around town to joining others on a three-day 150-mile trip.
Spc. Terry Cunningham, a Soldier in a 406th Human Resources Co., will be biking in the Cycle for STEM event July 23-25 organized by the local Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association chapter.
The bicycle riders will be going from Koblenz to Bonn to Weilerbach, covering 150 miles and two overnight stops.
STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
AFCEA offers scholarships for students attending Department of Defense Dependents Schools, but also Soldiers and military spouses who are studying a STEM curriculum.
“Innovative technology is what we’re trying to support in schools,” Cunningham said.
AFCEA has donated about $50,000 in scholarships to students in the Kaiserslautern area in the last two years, he added.
Cunningham started to commute by bicycle to work every day in February when his car had to be in the shop for repair. Now, even with his car in good repair, he’s still biking.
“I commute daily from Kaiserslautern to The Flying Pig on Ramstein Air Base, about 20 kilometers one way,” he said. “I ride 200-250 kilometers a week and enjoy every minute of it.”
Cunningham’s trip to work by bicycle takes about 40 minutes, while driving takes about 20-30 minutes, depending on traffic.
Since April, Cunningham has logged more than 3,000 kilometers on his bike.
“It's relaxing and not as stressful as driving,” he said. “You can take your time and enjoy some of the beautiful scenery Germany has to offer. Surprisingly, most commutes only take about 10-15 minutes longer than driving.”