It’s easy to get caught up in the daily ins and outs of our own lives. We tend to forget about the sacrifices made for the freedom we have today. Neal and I had the opportunity to give back to the men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces by being guardians on the 15th Honor Air Flight.
The Honor Air Knoxville flight was started by Prestige Cleaners in 2007. The goal is to fly as many East Tennessee World War II and Korean War veterans to the memorials that salute their service. Many of these veterans have never seen the memorials and the window of opportunity is closing rapidly. We were so honored to escort these vets to the World War II Memorial, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Marine, Navy, Air Force, Vietnam, Korean and Lincoln Memorials all day last Wednesday.
They were each so appreciative of not only our time, but the support of the Knoxville community. As we landed in Washington D.C., we were all blown away. There was at least a 50 foot line of people, ready to welcome and thank the veterans. A band was playing, there were balloons everywhere and everyone was so respectful of them. It was an even bigger celebration on the way back. A local high school band played “Stars and Stripes” as the veterans made their way to baggage claim. It truly touched me to see how meaningful it was for these men to see how much our community cares.
Being surrounded by veterans from the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army and Marine Corp. was such a humbling experience. Neal said he felt a sense of calm just by being around these men; no matter how pressed we were for time. We were guardians to six veterans, but each one of them individually stirred up a spirit of patriotism in our hearts with their stories of the war and how it affected their families. Every veteran enjoyed the company of their fellow vets and the guardians, reminiscing and trading war stories. Some men had just recently experienced the loss of a loved one, so to step out of that loneliness for a moment and feel that camaraderie made their day.
I’m not one for quotes, but I will never forget something Tim Burchett said. As he was thanking the group for their sacrifice and service, he said, “I owe everything I have to these men.” It made me stop and think about the impact they had on the outcome of World War II and the Korean War. It wasn’t one individual thing that one man did, but everything – their attitudes, their time and for some, their all – these men and women made a huge difference. Both Neal and I would absolutely volunteer for the Honor Air Flight again in a heartbeat.
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