- Honor flight programs face challenges due to high plane prices
- Veterans are missing out on trips to war memorials this year
- The honor guard hopes with community help the flights will return next fall
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Every year the Kanesville Honor Guard takes a group of veterans to Washington DC to help them heal, those flights usually take off in October, but this year they won't happen due to lack of funds and rising travel costs.
The honor flight is a three-day trip where those that have served get a chance to look at memorials and remember friends who have fallen. A typical trip includes 52 veterans and their caretakers. The total cost of the trip is about 50 thousand dollars and is completely paid for by the guard.
"The meals, the airlines, the hotel, all they have to do is bring a camera and start their healing process and they meet other vets and we usually have, we always have, a counselor with us," said KHG treasurer Cindy Ruby.
The Kanesville Honor Guard has been a part of the Council Bluffs neighborhood for 10 years and they've given over a thousand veterans honors funerals. Al Ruby is the guard president, he says membership is free and volunteers take the time to build trust and a sense of community.
"The honor flight is not a vacation and we've taken veterans,,who have wanted to take their lives just the last honor flight. We had a veteran who wanted to take his life, he had a shotgun in this bedroom and he said the shotgun was to take his head off literally.
And people don't realize how bad PTSD is," said A. Ruby.
The guard also provide confidential counseling services at no cost.
"Vets need to know that you can be safe here and you can trust what's going on here," said A. Ruby.
This non-profit operates 100% from community donations, and with the rising cost of flights and hotel services they're having trouble keeping up.
According to the Bureau of Transportation the average flight cost out of Eppley International Airfield in 2019 was $307.78 now in 2024 that's same flight is going to run you about $420.35. That's a $113 increase, and for the honors guard that flies out 52 veterans that's almost a 6 thousand dollar increase.
A. Ruby says the honors flights are a huge part of the healing process and they're devastated it's not happening this year, because for some this may be their last chance.
"It's really sad because some will pass away before we get them on, on the flight. You know, and we don't wanna miss anybody and now we have to wait a year to go," said C. Ruby.
Despite the hurt members of the honors guard feel in the present, they're still hopeful they'll be able to bring it back next year.
The honor guards door is open to all veterans and their families.
If you are interested in donating to the Kanesville Honor Guard click here.
