Page 27 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2017- Online Magazine

Texas South Plains Honor Flight

behind the scenes

It’s hard to believe, but the Texas South Plains Honor the veterans assigned to them to keep them safe and to
Flight is now in its sixth year of existence. The South make sure to get them where they need to be. Many of
Plains hub was started in early 2012 with a core of local, our aging veterans need wheelchairs and assistance on
dedicated citizens who believed that taking our WWII, and off the buses, etc. Our guardians make sure to watch
Korean and Vietnam veterans on a three day trip to out for their veterans and attend to their needs. Many of
Washington, D.C. was the right way to honor these men our guardians are veterans themselves and want to give
and women who gave up a part of their youth to serve back to the veterans who preceded them and are honored
and defend our country. Since those humble beginnings, to “lend a hand.” Some guardians are family members
we have now taken 432 veterans (not counting veteran and some simply volunteer to be assigned to a veteran or
guardians) on an all-expense paid three day trip to group of veterans who need someone to assist them.
D.C. to see the memorials and museums built in their
honor and to visit the nation’s Capital and other points Below are comments from some of our guardians who
of interest. In addition to the veterans, it takes a large took the trip to Washington:
contingent of support staff and guardians to make this
trip possible. Without them and the generous support “My first flight with the veterans was in 2014. It was not
of all the fine citizens of the South Plains, this trip would a planned trip for me, my wife had signed up to go and
not be possible for our deserving veterans. I accompanied her to the sendoff dinner. We were both
excited to be able to spend some time with some of our
As soon as the cheers died down from the return local veteran heroes. An emergency had come up and one
reception in 2016, the Honor Flight committee was of the other guardians was not going to make the trip so I
already looking forward to our 2017 flight. During was invited to go along. This was an honor of a lifetime to
our meetings, we go over the previous trip for lessons get this invite. These veterans are so deserving of this trip,
learned, what was good about the flight and what might it is amazing to watch the pride and ownership of their
not have gone as seamlessly as we would have liked. As time in active duty once they are at the memorials. They
with every previous year’s flight, we are always looking start to open up and talk to fellow service men and women
at ways to make the trip smoother, and more comfortable telling of the good times as well as some of the not-so-
and memorable for our veterans. It takes commitment, good ones. Not being a veteran myself, it was fascinating
dedication and effort to be able to sit and visit with my veteran and listen to all
from a lot of people to his experiences. Some of these people are so humble and
make this a successful felt like they are less deserving than others who served
flight year after year. and they are the greatest asset this country has. I came
While the mission back from this trip and was so moved by it that my wife
of our organization and I have helped as volunteers for the Honor Flight ever
is “dedicated to since the trip. I have become this year’s President which
honoring the service is an honor in itself. I will work toward getting as many
of area veterans”, it of these great heroes to Washington D C as possible to see
could be said that the the memorials built in their honor.”
guardians have one Gary Vaughn
of the least glamorous President Texas South Plains Honor Flight
but most critical jobs
during the actual
flight. Each guardian “I joined the reserves as an Army Nurse in July 2001. Two
is given training months later 9-11 occurred, and overnight I was part of
before every flight a military looking at going to war. I was privileged to
on how to work with serve in Germany at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center

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