What is the Flightless Honor Flight?

 

Honor Flight Tri-State offers a program called the Flightless Honor Flight for veterans who are wheelchair-bound or who can no longer fly due to health reasons.  Since Honor Flight Tri-State began to fly veterans over 19 years ago, we have focused on World War II veterans.  Their memorial was built in their honor in Washington DC over 60 years after the war ended. With the passing of time, many now are too ill to travel or have been advised by their doctor not to travel or to be away from home for 18 hours.

 

We also realize that many veterans of other wars and conflicts are in the same position. The Flightless Honor Flight is designed to give these veterans a proper “thank you” for their service too.  All veterans age 65 and over who have served either stateside or overseas, war time or peace time are eligible to participate in this Flightless Honor Flight program if they are not able to participate in the regular Honor Flight Tri-State trip to Washington DC.  If a veteran has been on an actual Honor Flight, he/she may serve as a Guardian to another veteran for the program.

 

Veterans interested in the Flightless Honor Flight are required to fill out a special application and return it to headquarters in order to participate.  Honor Flight Tri-State will honor the veterans that apply on a first come first served basis (total number is dependent on the size of the facility).

 

Here are the particulars:  The veteran and one other person (a guardian escort), will report at a designated place and time.  Since veterans will not be flying and only participating in this special program, they will be met by the Honor Flight Ambassador Ground Crew and taken to the checkpoint.  A special room will be awaiting the veterans and their escorts where the Ambassadors will treat them to an Honor Flight Tri-State “virtual tour” of the memorials, special presentation of souvenirs and light refreshments.  If you do not have a family member to accompany you, our Flightless Team will assign someone to you.

 

We want to honor all veterans for their service and realize that the long Honor Flight Tri-State trip may not be for everyone.  This program will help us to honor those not able to go with us to Washington DC.  This program was designed to simulate an actual flight day.  Veterans will experience the Welcome Ceremony, Color Guard, Bagpipers, Mail Call, and upon exiting, and they will be treated to the Welcome Home they never got.  When the Program is over, about 2 hours later, the veterans and their guardians will exit the auditorium and be greeted by additional family members and other revelers.

Fill out an application BELOW or call Cheryl Popp on the hotline 513-277-9626 for details.