Your Opinion: Appreciation for Honor Flight

Dear Editor:

I was privileged to be included in the 20th Missouri Honor Fight to Washington, D.C., on Sept. 4, for veterans of conflicts this nation has endured. I like to use this vehicle as a means of expressing my humble thanks to the folks whose contributions made this possible, and the folks of the Central Missouri Honor Flight group. Through the efforts of Mary Paulsell, president; Steve Paulsell, flight director; the Guardians, and the rest of the Honor flight staff, made this experience highly memorable. The fact that we veterans could experience this as a group enhanced our respect for this recognition. It was a highly emotional time for us vets.

My thanks to all the citizens from Kingdom City to Columbia who at the ungodly hour of midnight greeted us with a welcome home and a grateful thanks for our service to our country. Your salute given when many of you would have been retired at that time, created an emotion that brought tears to many of the veterans and Honor flight personnel.

To the 300-plus motorcyclists who helped in escorting us from Kingdom City to Columbia, many thanks guys and gals.

Last, but not least, a thank you to the Columbia policemen and the Missouri Highway Patrol and troopers, for their donated time and effect in escorting us to St. Louis and return. These men performed this mission on their off time, sans pay.

This Honor Flight mission is financially covered by donations from citizens and corporations, veterans cannot nor are asked to pay any of the expenses incurred.

None of the Honor Flight personnel are paid, they pay for this honor.

For those citizens and corporations who would like to help with donations, you can contact Central Missouri Honor flight at Centralmissourihonorflight.com for the how to's.

Again, many thanks to all who were involved.