Deacon’s Corner
On Monday, November 11th, our nation celebrates Veterans Day – a day set aside to honor all men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, protecting our freedom and making the world a safer place. I personally thank each of you for your service. In that light, I want to tell you my experience of being a Guardian on an Honor Flight this past September.
Early in the morning on Tuesday, September 17th, I, along with approximately 100 veterans, their guardians, and several members of the press boarded a chartered Sun Country Boeing 737 enroute to Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. My veteran, Donovan Johnson, served in the United States Army during the Korean conflict, and was stationed in Japan for most of his service. As Donovan’s guardian, it was my job to escort him at each location to assure his safety and help provide for any personal needs he requires throughout the day. The itinerary is grueling, with many stops and a lot of walking. For this reason, many of the veterans use wheelchairs throughout the day, which are provided by the Honor Flight organization. Donovan hadn’t been to our nation's capital since shortly after leaving the service, so he had not seen any of the memorials on our itinerary. He was very excited to be on the flight.
The first stop was the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, located at Dulles Airport. The museum houses a collection of aircraft ranging from the Wright Flyer to the Space Shuttle. Each wing of the museum is dedicated to aircraft from a particular era, including WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the space program, and civilian aircraft. After an hour or so at the museum we began a whistle stop tour of the memorials and monuments surrounding the National Mall. These include the Iwo Jima Memorial, The Lincoln Memorial, The Vietnam Memorial Wall, the Korean War Memorial, the WWII Memorial, the Military Women’s Memorial, and the new Air Force Memorial (still under construction). The veterans have the opportunity to spend some time at each memorial to reflect, make an etching of the name of a comrade who was lost, or perhaps share a memory with one another. Probably the biggest highlight was our visit to Arlington National Cemetery, where we watched the very moving Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The veterans in attendance are honored by the Guard of the Tomb by a “scuff of their heel” as the guard marches the 21 steps in front of the tomb.
After a long and very full day, we found our way back to the airport for our flight back to Moline, where the veterans are welcomed by hundreds of Quad Citians cheering, holding up welcome signs, and waving flags in their honor. This was my second time serving as a Guardian on an Honor Flight. Each time it was an incredible honor for me to serve my veteran as a guardian, and to give them an opportunity to visit their memorial along with their fellow veterans.
If you are a veteran, I highly encourage you to participate in a Quad Cities Honor Flight, which offers three flights each year, one in the spring and two in the fall. There is no cost for the trip. Everything you need is provided for you. Even if you visited the Washington D. C. Monuments, an Honor Flight will be a very different experience for you. There are a few things I have purposely left out… things you need to experience for yourself! If you are interested in being a Guardian for a future flight, I would highly recommend you apply. Guardians are asked to pay $400 to help cover the cost of your flight. You need to be in good health and able to walk several miles without difficulty. It is very rewarding and a great way to thank a veteran for his or her sacrifice and service.
I am closing with a prayer for our veterans.
Dear Lord, today we honor our veterans, worthy men and women who gave their best when they were called upon to serve and protect their country. We pray that you bless them for their unselfish service in the continual struggle to preserve our freedoms, our safety, and our country’s heritage, for all of us. Amen.
A few words about the organization:
Since 2008 the organization Honor Flight of the Quad Cities has been sending veterans to Washington D.C. to give them the opportunity to visit the memorials dedicated to honoring their sacrifices. Initially, priority was given to WWII and Korean War era veterans, or any veterans with a terminal illness, now Vietnam era veterans are also welcome, and soon veterans who served in the Global War on Terrorism will be eligible to go on a flight. The intention is to honor our local and regional heroes who were selfless in their military duty with a free trip to visit their memorials. All veterans within a 75-mile radius of the Quad Cities are encouraged to apply. The program operates on donations from organizations and individuals. Volunteers of all types plan and coordinate the flight events, and special guardians are trained to help escort the veterans on flight days. For more information visit their website at honorflightqc.org
Blessings,
Deacon Mike