You may have heard of Honor Flights before. The non-profit organization arranges for veterans to travel to Washington, D.C. at no expense to see their memorials — for many of them, it will be their first and only time. They also have a subgroup called ‘Heroes Welcome’, which ensures that as these veterans arrive in the nation’s capital, they arrive to the heroes welcome they deserve, with flags waving, cheers, and applause.
Veterans from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam are eligible, but the emphasis has typically been on World War II veterans, as their numbers dwindle due to age. For many of them, it is not financially or physically possible to make the trip without the help of Honor Flight. More than 60,000 veterans have been flown to Washington, D.C. since Honor Flight began in 2005. But one Honor Flight hub is organizing the very first all-female flight ever.
Honor Flight Tri-State is currently accepting applications for female veterans to visit their memorials, with a special emphasis on senior veterans over the age of 65. All of the women will fly for free from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport on September 22. It is the first of its kind in the nation. Stops planned include The Women in Military Service for America Memorial and the Vietnam Nurses Memorial.