Wyomingites Volunteering to Fight in Ukraine

A few days ago I was sent a message asking if I knew who in Wyoming was signing people up to fight the Russian in Ukraine.

I said that I had not heard of such a thing.

Moments later I was thinking, ' but this is Wyoming, so, I don't doubt it.'

Then I found this in THE POWEL TRIBUNE:

Local entrepreneur funding those willing to join Ukrainian Foreign Legion.

As Cody resident Nick Piazza discussed his efforts to aid Ukraine in its fight against Russian invaders, he apologized for needing to cut the phone interview short. He had an important call on the other line.

“I’ll call you back in 15 minutes,” he said. “This guy I’m trying to buy some body armor from is on the other line.” (Powel Tribune).

At this point, you might be wondering why Mr. Piazza has any interest at all. Did he just watch too much news and get overly excited?

Turns out Mr. Piazza has family, friends, and investments in Ukraine. So, yes, this is personal.

He is currently funding logistics for local volunteers willing to combat invading Russian troops.

The reason I got word of it is that he apparently put out a call on social media for volunteers and enlisted help.

You can't be a fat couch potato. He is only taking volunteers with military experience at this point. That takes most of you out. Sorry.

The volunteers may join the Ukrainian Foreign Legion, the national guard or a neighborhood watch group.

“They need everything from medics to mechanics,” McCue said Wednesday. (Powel Tribune).

"Every minute before his departure is critical, he said, as the team attempts to outfit volunteers with kits, including protective “plate carriers,” prior to leaving. Shipping the equipment requires a lot of paperwork and would take too long for the mission, he said, so it’s essential they have everything they need “other than weapons,” before boarding the plane. (Powel Tribune).

“I have lived in Kyiv longer than any other city in my life. Being there for almost [20 years during Ukraine’s] independence, I always felt like we grew up together,” he wrote on social media. “From being a tough place to find a burger or use a credit card to having some of the best restaurants and nightlife in the world — she [Ukraine] changed so much. My forced exile due to COVID for most of 2020 only served as a reminder of how much our relationship means to me.”

Don't for a moment think that this is just a guy who is just talking. He is backing up his words with cash and getting everything organized.

Special thanks to the (Powel Tribune) for the full story. They have the entire interview with more details at this link.

It just makes sense that if you hear a rumor of someone in Wyoming asking for volunteers to go fight in some war, it's probably true. After all, there were people from Wyoming in Afghanistan searching for Osama bin Laden