Tuesday, Sep. 22, 2009

Honor Flight guardians thank, repay vets by volunteering

The first West Georgia Honor Flight will make its maiden voyage to Washington on Tuesday, the first day of autumn.

The trip will begin at 6 a.m. when 100 local World War II veterans, about 50 guardians and a handful of medical personnel report to the Columbus Metropolitan Airport. There they will take a chartered 737 to Baltimore, where a line of tour buses will transport them to the nation’s capital for a daylong visit, including stops at the National World War II Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.

Volunteers, or “guardians” as they are called in the Honor Flight program, are responsible for escorting their assigned veterans safely from one location to the next.

Each guardian is assigned up to three veterans. The number of veterans per guardian depends on the veteran’s health and mobility needs.

While the flight is free to all veterans, guardians pay their own way — around $400 per person.

Because of the memories

Michael Crase, the son of World War II veteran and Honor Fight attendee Silas Crase, says he was happy to volunteer because he thinks the memories he and his 84-year-old father will gain from the experience will be priceless.

“You just take advantage of the opportunities as they come because you just don’t know what tomorrow will bring,” Michael Crase says.

Because he’s proud of Grandpa

At 14 years old, Will Buck is the youngest guardian signed up to go on West Georgia Honor Flight. The Brookstone High School freshman will escort his grandfather, William Buck. It’s the teen’s first trip to the nation’s capital.

“I enjoy World War II history and I just felt like it would be cool to go with him and see his monument and be with the World War II veterans,” Will says.

He said he loves spending time with his grandfather and listening to his war stories.

“It just impresses me that they could go through all that and like him come out unscathed,” Will says of his grandfather. “I’m just proud of him.”

Because he respected his father

Troy Woods, president and chief operating officer of TSYS, said he volunteered to be a guardian out of respect for his late father, a World War II veteran, and for all the veterans who sacrificed for their country.

“You think about that great generation that served in the war and all that they did for us,” Woods says. “It’s just as important to me that there are 100 veterans on this trip and to be with them to help them and support them — it means a lot. Not many of them are left, unfortunately. This is just a small, small way for me to show my appreciation, to help out where I can.”

Because it’s not just physical support

Stuart Hansen is an Army veteran who served in Vietnam, Grenada, Panama and Desert Storm, and he’s the commander of Georgia Disabled American Veterans Chapter 7. He says he volunteered because veterans of all eras should stick together.

“You’re not just there to push the wheelchair,” he says of his role. “You’re there if they want to cry on your shoulder or give you a hug or kick you in the butt. For some people it will be very enjoyable and for some people it will open up a skeleton closet. So, bottom line, we’re there to be supportive not just physically but mentally as well.”

Because her dad couldn’t do it

Teresa Tomlinson, the executive director of MidTown Inc. and an Honor Flight guardian, is on a reconnaissance mission for her father-in-law, Tony Miller, a World War II veteran. Originally, they had signed up together.

“I was thrilled to go,” she says. “Then at the last minute he decided he didn’t want to go because he didn’t think he could do it. I said, well, I’m going to go because I want to go and I want to see it and I’m going to take pictures — and I think he’ll go on the next flight.”

Miller, who will soon be 90 years old, was a member of the 503rd Paratrooper Infantry Division that liberated Corregidor in the Philippines, Tomlinson says. He’s had more than 650 jumps in his career.

“He’s a real hero and has received medals and awards in all of his divisions,” she says. “I just want him to see it so bad because it’s just a way to honor him and all that served the way that he did.”