I got a big surprize....

[Nvreloader]

Hey guys
I just got a very unsuspected pleasant phone call/e mail from Dawn, the HF coordinator, saying that they had a open seats on the Honor Flight, from Reno Nv to Washington DC, and she wanted to know if I was still interested in going, which I gladly accepted.

I am going back East (Washington DC area, to see the wall, Tomb of the unknown soldier and all the other sites, I have a choice of Sept or the middle part of Oct, for travel dates.

I applied over 5 yrs ago and and never heard back from them,
so I kind'a forgot about them, I even have the funds saved for the round trip.

Around the first of July/2025, I sent another email to HF, then Dawn called and sent an email with information about HF.
Dawn said, she attempted to contact me several times, but didn't have an current email address, ph number etc, (about 5 yrs ago, my service provider closed the doors and left the area, with no warning and we dropped the home phone for cell phone service, over 3+ yrs ago, a lot cheaper also).

Dawn, she said that HF had to take all the OLDER VETS from WW 2, Korea era first, they are just now getting to the Viet Nam Vets, there will be 54 VN Vets from all the services on this South West flight, going back to Washington DC.

So, what I am asking, if any of our members has been on a Honor Flight, from their state?
If so, do you have any thoughts, suggestions or information that may make the trip better.

I haven't been on a Big Bird since 1968, for the trip back to the world from VN.
I have a concern about this TSA current check in for flying now a days etc.
Thank you,
Don

 

[Chazmo]

That’s terrific, Don.

Anywhere from Sept through mid-Oct. should be a lovely time of year to be down in DC.

Congrats on being selected for the Honor Flight, and thank you for your service. I won’t go into the sadness I have about how Vietnam vets were welcomed home, but I will say that it’s nice that they are honoring you now.

Thank you for your service.

 

[Roamers]

I haven't been on a Big Bird since 1968, for the trip back to the world from VN.
I have a concern about this TSA current check in for flying now a days etc.

Congrats on finally being selected!
Although I haven't been on an HF, we have participated in the return welcome.

TSA check in should be a nothing event for you. I assume HF has a site that describes what can and can't go through security check. If they don't, shame on them.

Spoiler alert, they will confiscate your weapons.

 

[sc00ter]

Thank you for your service. Only thing I can think of is, are Real I.D.s required for ALL domestic flights now? Be sure to have all those surprise ducks in a row before trying to board. I have a cousin who flies for FedEx and I've used the free "friends and family" jump seats a few times in the past but now he tells me I need a Read I.D. to get on the plane now.

If my sister still lived in D.C. I could have shown you the area. I love visiting D.C. but always take a bicycle with me. You stay moving and the bums can't harass you as easy. Also get to see more of the city and not get stuck in traffic or get as tired.

 

[Chazmo]

Thank you for your service. Only thing I can think of is, are Real I.D.s required for ALL domestic flights now? Be sure to have all those surprise ducks in a row before trying to board. I have a cousin who flies for FedEx and I've used the free "friends and family" jump seats a few times in the past but now he tells me I need a Read I.D. to get on the plane now.

If my sister still lived in D.C. I could have shown you the area. I love visiting D.C. but always take a bicycle with me. You stay moving and the bums can't harass you as easy. Also get to see more of the city and not get stuck in traffic or get as tired.

I’m pretty sure a passport is an alternative.

 

[stompandgo]

Yes on Real ID or active passport.

Congratulations for being chosen and thank you for what you did for our country.

 

[indianajo]

Congratulations. Well deserved. I was watching "10 Monuments that Changed America" last night and teared up at the Viet Nam memorial. Names in the order that they died. How appropriate. Thanks for saying yes when your friends & neighbors mailed you greetings. Or enlisting was even braver.
I missed that disaster by making too many bad grades in my major and repeating my 4th year college at a 3rd rank school. When I graduated in '73, they were laying off Majors, no need for 2nd Lts. I wanted to be the guy with the map, so ROTC. Was a good plan: lots of lost troops I had to go find when I did serve in the Reagan years. Ask me about the broken M60 that was towed to the impound lot by Kassel city. I was recalled during the Iranian hostage crisis, then those perps caved in on RR's inaugural day. My biggest disappointment, giving up the best job I ever had at Ford Aerospace to go back and do my 3 years. Toughest thing, getting back in shape at age 30.
Well yes, tricks to flying: get to parking lot 2 1/2 hours early. Go through TSA when the line is short, we are not 65 anymore. I presume you have Viet Nam era damaged knees like me. The line that starts with a P, that is only for people that paid $80 to not take their shoes off. Tiny or no liquids, no tools, no hardware, no weapons or ammunition. You CAN take an empty water bottle then fill it up again at the gate dispensers. I threw up once because I had no water bottle and could not swallow the bonine at a water fountain. That is the reason I was not Navy or Air Force material - motion sickness. My father was US Army Air Corps 9/40 to 3/46. Yes, he volunteered to go shoot at Hitler's finest 15 months before Congress saw there was a problem. 20/400 vision put him in the radio tower coordinating the actual flyers.
In big cities like my home town Houston, and DC, I wear a NIJ3A kevlar vest. Smoothest thing to do at TSA is take off your top shirt, take off the vest, put in the bin with your shoes keys and cell phone. Wear an undershirt. No questions, no answers. If you wear it and tell them about it, they take you aside, screen you individually with 2 personnel (delay), take the vest to be screened separately (delay) and test your hands for gunpowder residue.