Community volunteers needed April 14 as veterans return from trip

Honor Flight Dayton hopes to garner community support for World War II, Korean era, Vietnam era and terminally ill veterans as the group kicks off its 2018 series April 14, escorting U.S. military veterans to visit their memorials in Washington, D.C.

By the end of the 2016 flying season, the national Honor Flight Network (including bus, RV and van transportation hubs) transported 180,261 veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam and other conflicts to see the memorials built to honor their suffering and sacrifice to keep the nation free and a world leader. In addition, 125,279 guardians paid their own way through 2016 to take care of the veterans since Honor Flight’s inception. There are 131 current hubs serving 45 states.

During 2017, its 13th year, HFD safely transported 443 veterans to see their memorials at no cost to the veterans, and 249 guardians paid their own way to assist.

For its 14th season, Honor Flight Dayton’s organizers are requesting hundreds of volunteers participate in greeting them upon their return to the Dayton International Airport late April 14 and after the three additional flights scheduled for May 19, Sept. 8 and Oct. 27.

“We are so grateful for all your help in welcoming the veterans in person when they return home from these trips,” said Glenn Greet, one of the “greeting” organizers and an employee at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. “This is always a highlight of a great day for all our veterans.

“We want to give them the best possible surprise welcome home – one that many of these heroes never got when they served,” Greet continued. “Our purpose, as active/retired military, Department of Defense civilians, friends, family and free people, is to make sure these veterans know that we’ll never forget what they did for us.”

HFD plans to take 110-plus veterans on each of its four planned charter flights, Greet said.

“We only ask for a couple hours on these evenings, but those few hours mean a world of good will for these heroes who never had their welcome home when they got back from their conflicts. This is a true ‘heroes welcoming heroes’ night with our military and first responders, community leaders and other veterans there to welcome these men and women home, once and for all,” Greet said.

The HFD return flight’s arrival time is scheduled for 10:30 p.m., but to be in the gate area when the plane arrives, greeters must follow a number of procedures. Those include obtaining a gate pass by showing a form of identification to the American Airlines ticket counter and processing through the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. The ticket counter may close promptly, even if people are in line.

Representatives and Honor Flight board members and volunteers will be in the gate area with instructions and information, and they will be available for questions. Announcements in the gate area typically take place at about 9:30 p.m. Ticket counter representatives will indicate the flight arrival gate.

It’s requested that military participate in uniform. Civilians, friends and family members are encouraged to wear patriotic attire. Enthusiasm, cheering and sign waving are appreciated.

If the wait after arriving before 8:30 p.m. is too long, since the flight does not arrive until 10:30 p.m., greeters can still attend the reception in the ticket counter area after the veterans deplane and process through security. It is recommended that greeters arrive there by 10:15 p.m.

Greet is the point of contact at 937-705-5034 and ggreet-hfd@woh.rr.com.

To learn more about the Honor Flight Network and Honor Flight Dayton and ways to support it, go online to www.honorflight.org and www.honorflightdayton.org or contact Honor Flight Dayton, 200 Canary Court, Enon, OH 45323, 937-322-4448, hfoffice@woh.rr.com.

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