The Rolling Thunder® Indiana Chapter One is offering a $1,000 scholarship to a high school senior or student receiving the GED seeking a higher education at an accredited college, university, or trade school.

The applicant must be a resident of Indiana and have a verifiable family relationship to a former Prisoner of War (POW) or an Missing in Action (MIA).

For detail about the 2024 POW/MIA Chapter Scholarship program, click on the below link.

Linda Joette Smith-Cope was the sister of SFC Ronald E. Smith, who served in Vietnam and become missing and unaccounted for on November 28, 1970 while on a mission near the tri-border area of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Linda was passionate and dedicated her entire life to finding out the details surrounding the mission, and the whereabouts of her beloved brother.

Unfortunately, Linda suddenly passed away in June 2019 due to medical complications. This scholarship is to honor Linda’s spirit, and not only to remember her brother Ronald E. Smith, but all those that have yet to come home to family and friends from all past wars.

A $1,000 scholarship is to be awarded to a Covington Community High School graduating senior seeking a higher education at an accredited College, University, or Trade School. The essay subject for 2023 was "The Geneva Conventions as they relate to Prisoners of War (POWs)".

This year recipient of the Linda Smith-Cope scholarship was Micah Stonecipher. Micah will continue her education at Purdue University.

Micah receiving her award from the Rolling Thunder® Indiana Chapter One Scholarship Committee at the Covington High School graduation ceremony. Congratulations to Micah for a job well done.

2023 POW/MIA Chapter Scholarship

The Chapter awarded the POW/MIA Chapter Scholarship to two MIA family members in 2023. Sydney Goves, the Great-Niece of Specialist Five Michael Lautzenheiser, and Emily Brechenser, the Granddaughter of Private First Class William Brechenser.

Sydney Goves, Great-Niece of Specialist Five Michael Lautzenheiser. Specialist 5 Michael Lautzenheiser, who joined the U.S. Army from Indiana, served with the 68th Aviation Company, 52nd Aviation Battalion, 17th Aviation Group. He was the flight engineer aboard the Chinook when it crashed on October 26, 1971, and his remains were not recovered. Today, the whereabouts of Specialist Five Michael Lautzenheiser is only known to GOD.

Emily Brechenser, Granddaughter of Private First Class William Brechenser. Private First Class Brechenser was captured on Christmas Eve 1944 in Luxembourg. He was in a German Prison Camp for three months and was liberated while on a train inbound to Germany.

Sydney Groves and Scholarship Chairperson Portia Graves Sydney will continue her Education at Ball State University

Emily Brechenser Emily will continue her education at Indiana University Bloomington