Mike Parker: Honor Flight touches the lives of veterans
Bruce Williamson was trying to arrange a special trip to Washington, DC, for his friend Harry Osborne as part of an Honor Flight. Harry served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1952 to 1953.
Honor Flight is a nonprofit program that flies U.S. military veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit the national war memorials built in their honor. Honor Flight’s mission is to show appreciation and provide closure by taking veterans to see the monuments dedicated to their service.
The cost is 100 percent free for the veterans, including flights, food, and transportation. Honor Flight trips are funded through donations and community support. World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans receive priority. Terminally ill veterans from any service era are also given priority.
A typical trip includes stops at the National WWII Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, and other landmarks. Each veteran is accompanied by a volunteer “guardian” who helps manage travel and physical needs throughout the day.
As Bruce investigated how to arrange for Harry to make an Honor Flight, Bruce discovered that he and his wife Debbie were also eligible. Debbie served in the U.S. Navy from 1969-71, and Bruce served in the Navy from 1968-1972.
Trips are organized through regional local hubs rather than directly through the national office. To join the program, veterans should find the regional group closest to them and submit a veteran or guardian application. To find programs operating near you, use the Honor Flight Hub Locator.
Through Honor Flight Network’s Lone Eagle program, the organization can serve veterans in areas without a local hub. The Lone Eagle program helps Honor Flight expand its impact.
Participation in an Honor Flight trip allows veterans to share this momentous occasion with other vets, remember their fallen comrades, and share their stories and experiences.
Honor Flight Network is a national nonprofit organization made up of independent hubs that work together to achieve the Honor Flight mission. To further this goal, the program aims to show our nation’s veterans the appreciation and honor they deserve.
When the organization was founded, it initially focused solely on America’s World War II-era veterans. Since then, Honor Flight Network has expanded its mission to include veterans who served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The Honor Flight TLC program also honors critically ill veterans from any service era.
To maximize the number of American veterans the organization serves, each eligible veteran may be honored with only one Honor Flight trip.
More than 134 hubs across the country form the Honor Flight Network. These hubs and their volunteers truly make the Honor Flight mission a success. Volunteers freely donate their time and talents to coordinate flights, bus trips, welcome-home ceremonies, thousands of phone calls, and more. These volunteers share a common goal: Honor our nation’s heroes with the trip of a lifetime.
Honor Flight transports about 22,500 veterans each year. Since its inception, Honor Flight Network has flown more than 300,000 veterans to Washington, D.C.
Harry, Bruce, and Debbie said their Honor Flight experience was deeply moving. They shared their stories with other veterans. The experience gave them a greater sense of how much many Americans appreciate the service they gave to our nation. Stephanie Kaplan was their guardian.
If you are a veteran, begin investigating how you can become a member of the Honor Flight experience. Your trip of a lifetime awaits.
Mike Parker is a columnist for the Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.
Pictured are Debbie Williamson, Bruce Williamson, Stephanie Kaplan, and Harry Osborne (seated).
