Honor Flight of the Ozarks - Honor Flight Part Deux

On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, Jeff had the honor of getting to serve a Veteran by being a Guardian on his second Honor Flight of the Ozarks Honor Flight. His Veteran, William “BJ,” was a Navy Veteran from Arkansas who served on a ship during the Vietnam War. They had to be at the Springfield/Branson Airport at 02:30 hours. The flight left a couple hours later with a water cannon salute by the airport fire department. They landed at Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. and loaded on buses. The first stop was at the FDR Monument, where all the Guardians and Veterans participated in a group photo. From there, Jeff and BJ explored the Lincoln Memorial, where they got to see a live demonstration from a military drill team. The next stops they made included: the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, with the Washington Monument, the White House, and the Pentagon in the background. They were met by Eric Burleson, one of the US Representatives from Missouri (Springfield). After visiting the memorials, they loaded back on the buses and were driven to Arlington National Cemetery, where they got to watch a Changing of the Guard ceremony and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They received a police escort back to Dulles International Airport, where they were honored with another water cannon salute by the airport fire department. Upon returning to the Springfield/Branson Airport, the Veterans were met by thousands of cheering people at the “Welcome Home” celebration at the airport. Jeff and BJ had a great experience, and it was a tremendous honor for Jeff to get to accompany and serve this American Hero!

Honor Flight Veterans (Honor Flight of the Ozarks; Springfield, MO; 04/22/2026)