What's Happening

Welcoming Home Our Heroes

Several times a year, groups of Arizona veterans depart and arrive back home at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Their departure and arrival are met with cheers, praise, and many people saying thank you for serving our nation. These events are organized by a non-profit group called Honor Flight Arizona. Honor Flight Arizona, which is part of the Honor Flight Network, gives veterans the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., to see the monuments and memorials in their honor and return home to the heroes’ welcome they might not have had.

Recently, approximately 40 veterans traveled to D.C. While there, they visited several sites including the Navy, World War II, Korean, Vietnam, Iwo Jima and Air Force memorials as well as toured the Capitol Building and paid a visit to Arlington National Cemetery. The veterans were given the opportunity to see these sites and travel back east at no cost to them due to generous donations and money raised through the program. The veterans were escorted by 20 Honor Flight volunteers.

The veterans were officially welcomed back home by the Phoenix Fire Department with a water arch over their Southwest Airlines plane. After getting off the plane, they were welcomed by the American Legion Honor Guard as family and friends held signs and cheered their return.

See additional pictures from the event.

For more information on the Arizona Honor Flight’s program, visit http://honorflightaz.org/

Published: November 4, 2011