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The HFC SITREP


December 1, 2021


Honor Flight Columbus Concludes 2021 Season


On Thursday, November 4, Honor Flight Columbus completed the most aggressive flight schedule in the organization’s history. Between August 19th and November 4th, 1,197 veterans were flown to our Nation’s Capital to see the memorials dedicated in their honor. The conclusion of Mission111 and Mission112 also brings the retirement of Executive Director, Pete MacKenzie. During MacKenzie’s tenure, Honor Flight Columbus has flown more than 2,800 veterans to Washington, DC. Taking on the role of Executive Director, Honor Flight Columbus, is Bob Horner. Horner recently retired from his senior officer position at Nationwide, a long-time corporate sponsor of Honor Flight Columbus. “Bob’s long-time commitment and dedication to our senior veterans and Honor Flight Columbus, paired with his professional experience, gives us great excitement for the future,” said Board Chair, Bonnie Sparhawk. He began his relationship with Honor Flight Columbus in 2009 as a flight sponsor. Over the years, Horner has served in virtually every Honor Flight Columbus role, including flight sponsor, volunteer, flight guardian, flight leader, board member and Chairman of the Board. “I look forward to my new role with Honor Flight Columbus,” said Horner. “I have learned a great deal while working with Pete MacKenzie and look forward to continuing the trajectory of positive growth and innovation that he established.” Sparhawk added, “we are looking forward to continuing the progress that Honor Flight Columbus has made and expanding the important work of honoring our veterans who are so greatly deserving.”

Honor Flight Columbus is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating since 2007 with the cornerstone mission to transport America’s senior Veterans to Washington DC to see their memorials at no cost to the Veteran. Honor Flight Columbus has flown 112 missions, taking 8,012 senior veterans on their Honor Flight. The organization is funded entirely by donations from businesses, foundations, and grateful Americans. Honor, Share, Celebrate. Follow us on social media @honorflightcmh and learn more at www.honorflightcmh.org.

It has been a while since I have provided an update.


Over the course of eleven weeks, 649 days after the last flight (Mission 102), over an eleven week period starting August 19th, 2021 (Mission 103) to November 4th, 2021 (Mission 112) HFC flew 1,197 of America’s senior Veterans to Washington DC to visit their Memorials. We flew every Veteran who was ready, willing, and able to fly. That is over double the number of Veterans flown in any full year prior to 2018, and we did it in eleven weeks, during a pandemic.


Going into year two of restrictions and shutdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Honor Flight Columbus was carrying a waiting list of over 1,500 of America’s senior Veterans who had applied for and not yet received their trip to Washington DC. Some Veterans had been waiting for over 3 years. And far too many, most sadly, did not have the time left to wait.


Several developments came together this summer that permitted us to resume flights. Many of them were pandemic related that were actually opportunities for HFC.

The rollout and widespread acceptance of the vaccines (94% of the Veterans on our waiting list had been vaccinated already) gave HFC and Honor Flight Network the basis for a path forward. HFC embraced this and rather than bemoan all the restrictions and challenges and leaning on those for justification NOT to fly, we aggressively sought SOLUTIONS that not only allowed us to fly, and fly safely, but also take full advantage of the unique pandemic influenced “opportunities” to advance our Mission to the greatest extent possible. There were a number of things, that may on the surface, look like bad things, though in fact were special opportunities.


Airline woes made for two significant opportunities. In the past we have only been able to charter a single plane at a time. This Fall dual flights were routine. In the past we were only able to charter 143 seat 737-700s. This Fall we were able to charter 175 seat 737-800s and 190 seat A321s. In the past we have not been able to secure slots and gates to fly into Reagan National Airport, instead having to fly to and from a 40-minute bus ride away in Baltimore. This Fall, every flight landed at DCA, quite literally next door to the National Mall and the Memorials.


Certainly, the pandemic restrictions impacted our ability to serve. There are Veterans and Guardians who are not getting the jab, for all kinds of reasons, personal choice, medical, etc. The bottom line though is that the vast majority of our Veterans are vaccinated (94%). This truth allowed us to seize and take advantage of the other opportunities that the market presented (airplanes and airports) and our recently developed strong corps of ready, willing, and able Guardians.


We have spent the past four years growing our cadre of Guardians. Four years ago we had about 80 experienced Guardians, we now have well over 300. Four years ago we had 3 experienced bus leaders, today we have almost 20.


In support of our operations and traveling Veterans, we deployed 583 Columbus based Guardians. We were joined in Washington DC by 171 more Guardians. DC Guardians are extraordinarily valuable to us, because for every DC Guardian, we can fly an additional Veteran (ie we don’t have to fly a Guardian). Even with the hectic pace, we were able to engage 177 new first time Guardians (maintaining the growth rate of our Guardian corps).

Our Medical Corps – trip Doctors and EMTs – are real heroes – in their daily careers, and more so on flight day. The service and support that they provide, I am telling you, you probably have no idea.


We had previously shown that we could successfully fly on a day other than a Saturday (in 2018 and 2019). Weekdays during pandemic DC are very calm and quiet (compared with “super-Saturdays” of years past). This is important and dramatically reduced the contact with thousands of the general public (ie risk).


Dramatically reducing the amount of time in airports and buses, and following guidelines of the CDC, as well as the FAA, the Transportation Administration, and local venue rules and local authorities turned out to be extremely tolerable and did not adversely affect the trips in any way.


Flight day is the culmination of a lot of work. Flight day is a long day that starts early in the morning and ends late in the evening. Ironically, with our preflight planning and preparation, it is the easy part. The plane and people arrive at the airport, and we fly. It is natural, and quite frankly, we’ve done it 112 times now, we better have it right, even with the modest changes and modifications that were required to manage the vast pandemic related guidance, rules, and expectations.


What most people do not see and do not fully appreciate is where the real Volunteer heavy lifting is.


The 750+ Veteran Call Team hours spent calling over 1,500 Veterans and booking nearly 1,300 on the trips. The 250+ Mail Call Team hours spent calling and rallying nearly 30,000 pieces of mail processed through the office for our Veterans. The Wheelchair Maintenance team who acquires, prepares, cleans, and refurbishes the fleet of about 150 wheelchairs used on flight day.


The pre-trip preparations, reviewing the medical needs of every Veteran, pulling supplies for the trip, packing and repacking task bags and medical bags, stuffing name badges, sorting coins and pins, conducting Guardian Training, and on and on.


These selfless Volunteers who made this extraordinary behind the scenes effort did not do it for personal recognition, they did it for the Veterans.


Our flight sponsors and donors who helped us put together the $800,000 it took to fly 10 missions and 1,197 Veterans this year. We cannot thank them enough. With Veterans and Guardians ready, willing, and able, with funding in place, it was time to fly.


Mission# Date Flight Sponsor Veterans 103 8/19 All Life Foundation 118 Veterans

104 9/9 Vance Outdoors 122 Veterans

105/106 9/23 Westerville for HFC 237 Veterans

107 10/7 JP Morgan Chase Employees 127 Veterans 108 10/7 Grateful Americans 127 Veterans

109/110 10/21 Ragan/McNamara Families 246 Veterans

111 11/4 Nationwide Insurance 106 Veterans 112 11/4 Columbus Regional Airport Authority 114 Veterans


These 1,197 Veterans flown in 2021 bring our all-time Veterans flown total to 8,033 in the last 14 years (2007-2021).



This year we flew Veterans who served in World War II (8), the Korean War Era (44), the Cold War Eras (33), and the Vietnam War Era (1,112).


We flew 19 Women Veterans (2 Korea, 17 Vietnam Eras).


Of the 1,112 Vietnam War Era Veterans flown in 2021, 24 have at least one Purple Heart Medal, 568 served in-country, 92 earned a Combat Action Ribbon or Combat Infantry Badge, they were further awarded at least 66 Bronze Stars, 5 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and 4 Silver Stars.


Military branches represented in the 2021 class were Army (564), Navy (256), Air Force (254), Marine Corps (116), and the Coast Guard (5).


The Veterans who joined us this year hailed from 11 states: Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Tennessee, West Virginia, and of course, the Great State of Ohio. Veterans are residents of 204 cities and towns from all four corners of Ohio, Columbus to Wellsville to Marietta to Gallipolis to Portsmouth to Cincinnati to Dayton to Defiance to Freemont to Upper Sandusky to Cuyahoga Falls to Warren and all points in between, Cambridge, Coshocton, Zanesville, Marion, Mansfield, Washington Court House, Lancaster, Chillicothe, Mount Vernon, Newark and on and on.


This pandemic charged 2021 season has been a challenge for all of us. We are disappointed that the vaccine requirement prevented some Veterans from being able to participate. That it prevented some Guardians from serving. That is made it necessary to virtually eliminate the open opportunities for Volunteers on flight day, in the morning and the evening at the airport. This was necessary primarily for the health and safety of our Veterans– reducing the contact numbers and time with the non-flying people in Columbus and in DC. It was an important piece of the risk reduction plan to keep everyone safe, but also to be compliant with the guidance of our hosts, the Columbus Airport. We know there are hundreds upon hundreds of well-meaning people who are not happy about not being able to participate this Fall. It’s just COVID. We hope the wisdom of all the decisions we made in order to resume our mission will be appreciated over time, we already know the Veterans appreciate them.


We could not fly in 2020 due to COVID. We were not going to let 2021 get away. 2021 in fact, has been epic. Unprecedented by any account. An unequivocal success. Just ask the Veterans.


Be safe, stay healthy, 2022 will be here before we know it. With 540 Veterans still on the waiting list, and about 20 new applications arriving every week, the Honor Flight Mission an important one that will be around for a very long time. HFC will continue to fly as long as there are Veterans willing and trusting enough to allow us to take them, and public support sufficient to fund the flights.


The Honor Flight Columbus Mission: Take America’s senior Veterans to Washington DC to visit the Memorials dedicated to their service and sacrifice. Help them share their stories to the benefit of future generations. To celebrate and affirm their service.


WE DID THAT. ALL of us: Veterans, Staff, Volunteers, Guardians, and Donors. Enough of the past though. There is a mission to advance. Honor. Share. Celebrate.


Onward.


Pete MacKenzie, Executive Director

Honor Flight Columbus executed the All Life Foundation sponsored Mission 103 yesterday, the first of 6 planned flight days this Fall, Thursday August 19th, 2021, after 649 days of COVID shutdown (Mission 102 was November 9th, 2019).

Mission 103 included 118 senior Veterans from 63 towns and cities across Ohio. Participants represented the Army (67), Navy (25), Air Force (14), and the Marine Corps (12). Conflict eras represented World War II (1), Cold War - WWII-Korea (1), Korean War 11, Cold War - Korea-Vietnam (9) and Vietnam (95 - 51 of which served in-country). The average age of the Veterans on this trip is 77 years.


This was the second Honor Flight in the country to visit Washington DC since conditions aligned to permit safe travel (the first hub to visit DC was Honor Flight Chicago on Wednesday).


It was hot in DC - however there was a pleasant Chesapeake Bay breeze blowing, and plenty of shade at most of the stops. We visited Iwo Jima, Arlington National Cemetery and the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown, Air Force Memorial, Navy Memorial, World War II Memorial, the Nations "front yard" - one taking the iconic walk along the reflecting pool from WWII to Lincoln and another group stopping at the MLK Memorial with a beautiful view of the Jefferson Memorial, the Vietnam Wall, then finished the day with dinner at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial. The Welcome Home may have been short and lacking in pomp and circumstance, but love, adoration, and appreciation filled the airport. It was a great day.


America's senior Veterans, which to Honor Flight Columbus means any Veteran with active duty service prior to May 7th, 1975 is eligible to apply for an Honor Flight. If you are a qualified Veteran, or know a qualified Veteran, we respectfully suggest... an application.

Most of these Veterans had applied in 2018 and have been patiently waiting (many of whom had been booked on the suspended flights in April 2020). Sadly, 72 Veterans on the waiting list passed away since our last flight. This is fuel for our drive to execute our mission to its greatest extend.


We were pleasantly surprised to to discover over 94% of our Veterans were vaccinate for COVID-19. We were pleasantly surprised to discover over 300 of our Guardians were vaccinate and ready and willing to serve.


In order to do this important work, we need to be vaccinated, simply put, all of us, specifically meaning anyone participating in the Honor Flight Columbus fall flight season (Veterans, Guardians, Volunteers, anyone coming into close proximity to our Veterans - for the health of all parties). In order to reduce crowds (and traffic) we are flying on Thursdays. Every participant was screened and assessed for COVID-19 risk. We complied with airline, FAA, federal, state, local jurisdictional rules, regulations, and guidance. The only safer course of action would be to not fly. It is certainly the simple option. In my opinion, that is not a legitimate option.


We are constantly reviewing our practices, and making moves (and sometimes waves) to enhance and preserve the Honor Flight experience EVEN in these oscillating pandemic times.


Our next flight, the Vance Outdoors sponsored Mission 104 is on September 9th, 2021.


Please do not hesitate to contact me anytime! If you are a hub trying to figure out how to DO rather than not, I'd love to share our experience, methods, and thoughts!


Onward.


Pete MacKenzie

Executive Director, Honor Flight Columbus

executivedirector@honorflightcmh.org




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