Honoring our Heroes

Dear Friend,

Folks from across the district gathered in schools, at Legion Hall's, outside courthouses and elsewhere earlier this week to pay tribute to the selfless heroes who have defended our country against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Many of our veterans didn't get the "thank you" they deserved when they returned from deployment but thankfully, programs like the Honor Flight have given many of them the opportunity for a proper celebration.

The Honor Flight is a nationwide program which takes our veterans on a whirlwind trip to Washington, DC to see the memorials that remember the wars they served in. Originally started to enable World War II veterans to be able to see the World War II Memorial, many Honor Flights are now taking veterans from the Korea and Vietnam Wars.

I generally get to personally thank our veterans on the Honor Flight when they arrive in Washington. It's an awesome opportunity to visit with them and see the joy, and some sadness, as they see the memorials dedicated to their respective wars. However, I know the entire trip from the airport to the memorials to the bus ride home and final arrival is filled with the celebration they deserve.

It's an emotional moment when a group of Honor Flight veterans comes through the airport. Everyone stops what they are doing to acknowledge them as they board their flight. It's quite a sight to see motorcycle and police escorts accompanying their bus as it travels the interstate. Final arrival home, which doesn't take place till late in the evening, is an incredible celebration after a long day. Friends, family and community members wait with American flags and cheer for the veterans as they and their escorts are announced and presented with tokens of appreciation.

Our North Missouri veterans are served by several Honor Flight Networks across the district including the Great River Honor Flight, Central Missouri Honor Flight, Heartland Honor Flight, and the Honor Flight Network of Kansas City. Local organizations raise money to fund the Honor Flight so the veterans get to go free of charge. I'm thankful that our veterans are given this unique opportunity.

We always say that there is no way we can adequately thank our veterans for their service and that is certainly true. However, programs like the Honor Flight and the countless Veterans Day ceremonies and breakfasts that take place across North Missouri continue to serve as a reminder that freedom isn't free. I'm glad that the busyness of life has yet to stand in the way of taking time each year to remember those who have enabled us to go about our daily life unencumbered.

Sincerely,

Image

Sam Graves