Air Force Major Breaks 17 World Records for Youth Charity

Major Jonathan Buckingham spins fire knives inches from his face while balancing on a moving board, all in the name of helping kids play sports.

The Honolulu native and Air Force Academy graduate has broken 17 Guinness World Records since starting his unusual mission. His records range from pure speed challenges like putting on 10 socks in record time to endurance tests like bouncing two basketballs simultaneously on a balance board.

Buckingham flies a desk now as a program manager at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts, but his career includes over 120 combat missions as a KC-135 Stratotanker pilot. He deployed six times to the Middle East between 2012 and 2017 before transitioning to software acquisition work.

The major founded the World Record Breakers Club, a nonprofit that raises money through record attempts. Members have collectively broken 27 records, with Buckingham holding three more pending approval from Guinness.

Some records required serious preparation. Breaking 200 balloons with a nail took six hours just to blow them all up and arrange them in 100 rows. Others demanded athletic skill, like catching medicine balls while wearing boxing gloves or holding a plank position while juggling tennis balls.

Captain Adam Farah, who works with Buckingham at Kessel Run, helped him break the medicine ball record while deployed in Korea. "It's a very niche record," Farah said. "His reasoning behind it is awesome."

Why This Inspires

The spectacle serves a purpose beyond bragging rights. Buckingham's nonprofit has donated approximately $2,000 in sports equipment and books to youth organizations from Connecticut to South Africa.

Fellow airmen have joined the cause, turning lunch breaks and deployment downtime into fundraising opportunities. The team combines athletic challenges with pure silliness, proving that doing good doesn't require taking yourself too seriously.

Buckingham keeps hunting for new records to break, always with an eye toward inspiring kids and funding their access to sports. Three more attempts await Guinness verification.

"We're doing something fun and something cool with these world records," Buckingham said. "Hopefully, we garner some inspiration for the children, but then also raise funds to buy sports equipment."

One combat veteran is proving that breaking records can also build futures.