"You wouldn't regret it!" That's what Wayne Feldhaus' message is to any Veteran who might be considering going on an Honor Flight.
Recently, Wayne, an Air Force (AF) Veteran and CFC member, shared with me some of his AF experiences that began in 1959 when he joined the AF at 18 years old. Wayne served as a Morse Code Copier, Radio Squadron (Mobile), in U.S. locations and at Clark Air Base, Philippines. He then served at Sewart Air Force Base outside of Nashville, TN. Wayne's job was to process flight plans for pilots until he was discharged from the AF in October 1963.
We then talked about his participation in Honor Flight of Southern Indiana's (HFSI's) "EVV14" flight in April 22, 2023. But, let's first take a step back.
Like Wayne, many Veterans have never heard of Honor Flight. Wayne said he learned about Honor Flight from Terry and Debbie Storms at CFC.
As background, the "Honor Flight Network" is a non-profit organization created solely to honor America’s veterans for all their sacrifices. . . . Honor Flight of Southern Indiana is the 133rd Honor Flight Network hub . . ." https://honorflightsi.org/.
The HFSI mission "is dedicated to honoring America's senior veterans for all of their sacrifices by transporting them to Washington, DC to visit their memorials free of charge." That said, the HFSI mission statement doesn't even begin to convey the Honor Flight experience!
According to Wayne, the Honor Flight experience was very exciting and memorable. He said the changing of the guard ceremony with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as "The Old Guard," at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery really stuck in his mind.
Wayne stated he was impressed that all the Honor Flight events went so smoothly. He said that the HFSI bus captains (Wayne was on the Blue bus!) kept everything so well organized.
Wayne shared how he valued the many new relationships he formed during the entire Honor Flight experience. As well, he enjoyed being part of the Honor Flight with many old and new friends.
--Written by Lynn Henselman, U.S. Army (retired)
For more information regarding HFSI and to sign up, please see the HFSI website at https://honorflightsi.org/ and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at https://honorflightsi.org/faqs/. Here are a few FAQs that might be very helpful:
"Q: Who can go on Honor Flight of Southern IN trip?
A: Any US Veteran who served in the military, including National Guard. Veteran applications are filled on a first- come, first served basis according to the following priorities: World War II veterans and terminally ill veterans of any conflict take priority, followed by Korean War and then Vietnam War Veterans. To be put onto the wait list a Veteran application MUST be on file. Complete the online application.
Q: How much does the trip cost? Who pays for the trip?
A: The Honor Flight experience comes at NO COST TO THE VETERANS. All expenses are paid, with the exception of any souvenirs he/she may wish to purchase. Flights are funded by donations from individuals, corporations, foundations and other groups who wish to be an important part of honoring these heroes. It’s a FREE trip for the Veteran. Guardians DO pay their own trip expenses.
Q: What is a Guardian & how can I become one?
A: A Guardian is a travel companion for the Veteran and must be 18 years or older. A Guardian can be a spouse, family member, friend of the Veteran who is able to assist the Veteran will ALL their needs. A Guardian must be able to easily lift 100 pounds. Guardians DO PAY for their trip and MUST attend a mandatory training session prior to their flight. To be a Guardian an application must be on file. Complete the application online. Due to the overwhelming requests of Guardian applications, there is a long wait list for Guardians. Most Veterans have their own Guardian who accompanies them on the flight. We encourage those wanting to be a Guardian to find a Veteran who hasn’t been on Honor Flight, sign them up and become their Guardian.
Q: What if the Veteran doesn’t have a family or friend to be their Guardian, can they still fly?
A: Absolutely Yes! A Guardian from our wait list will be assigned to the Veteran.
Q: Can my spouse, mother, father or sibling go with me on trip?
A: Yes, as a Guardian, provided they meet the age and physical requirements needed to fulfill their duties as a guardian at the discretion of our medical team."