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When will I be notified that I am on a flight, I submitted my application a long time ago?"Please be patient. We take Veterans according to the policies set by the National Honor Flight ( terminally ill, WWII, Korean, Vietnam,Mideast) You WILL be notified by Greater Peoria Honor Flight six weeks before the flight you are selected for. This also stands for guardians.
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Nothing is free. What is the catch? How are these flights funded?There is no catch, we promise. As a nation, we would like to thank you for your service and sacrifice. The least that we can do is to bring you to Washington DC to see the memorial that was built in your honor. It is our small way of saying thank you for protecting our freedoms. Flights are funded by people in the community that believe in honoring Veterans such as yourself. While we raise funds to cover the cost for each Veteran, guardians are responsible for a $550 Guardian fee.
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Will I be able to go with health issues?Many, if not most, of our veterans will need to use a wheelchair for all or a good portion of the day, and we have enough wheelchairs and support personnel to accommodate every veteran on each flight. We travel through Washington D.C. in luxury buses that have wheelchair lifts available, if needed. We also fly veterans who require the use of oxygen. Any veteran requiring oxygen must submit a prescription from the doctor for oxygen use while on the trip.
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I want to go, but I think I'm too old."You are in good company, on each trip, we have veterans who can’t see, veterans who can’t hear (most), and veterans who can’t walk. Yet after the trip, the veterans almost always tell us that their day with Greater Peoria Honor Flight was by far one of the best days of their lives.
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Do I have to live in the Peoria area to go on a flight?No, we accept applications from veterans in other areas that may not have Honor Flight hubs, or those that prefer to fly from Peoria. It is the veteran's choice which hub is the most convenient for him/her.
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I am not a HERO, the heroes paid the ultimate sacrifice and are not with us today."If you served, you answered your country’s call to duty. Whether you were a mail clerk, an airplane mechanic, or a front line soldier, all jobs were important to the overall effort. We ask you to fly with us in recognition of your part in the effort to protect our country. And to honor those who did not return, we have a short ceremony at the WWII Memorial where we all pay tribute to our fallen heroes, whose dreams and aspirations were cut short by the war.
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How are Veterans selected for their flight?Veterans fill out a Veteran Application online or print and mail the application. Our Flight Team then works to invite our veterans to fly for their Day of Honor. Veterans are generally called for their specific flight about 6 to 8 weeks before the flight date.
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Are Korean,Vietnam, and Middle East Veterans allowed to fly?"The short answer, YES. Now for the long answer, please be patient. We currently prioritize the remainder of our WWII population along with terminally ill veterans. After we have flown all interested WWII veterans, we begin honoring our Korean War veterans (so get your applications in now!). We then honor our Vietnam and Middle East veterans for their service and sacrifice.
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I did not serve in a war, am I still eligible?"Any veteran who serves our country and is willing to lay down his life is eligible for an Honor Flight.We prioritize these veterans according to their dates of service and where they fall in respect to our wartime veterans.
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I would like to have my spouse accompany me, can he/she fly with me?"Currently, our policy at Greater Peoria Honor Flight is to allow spouses of terminally veterans to fly with us. At this time, these are the only spouses allowed to fly with us. Our priority is to honor those who served our country in its time of need.
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Will my dad/mom have to pay for anything?There is no cost to the veteran for him/her to fly with us. Flights for Veterans are fully funded through private and community donations. The Guardian is responsible for the $550 Guardian fee.
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Who pays for the trip?Our veterans have already given so much through their service to our country. All costs associated with the veteran’s trip, including airfare to and from Washington DC, are covered by Greater Peoria Honor Flight. Guardians each raise $550 for the honor of escorting a Hero to Washington DC. Flights are funded by donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, schools, military organizations, and other fraternal organizations who wish to be an important part of honoring these heroes and who recognize the urgent need to fly our Veterans to see their memorials. No funding is received from the government.
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Can a family member fly as a guardian?Guardians must be at least 18 and no more than 70 years of age and be able to easily lift 100 pounds, since they will be assisting veterans into or out of wheelchairs, up and down stairs, etc. Guardians pay for their own trip ($550) and must attend a mandatory training session.
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How can I find out information on upcoming flights?Please check our website and Facebook page periodically for flight updates. We do not recommend that you join us at the airport in the morning since you must have a ticket in order to clear security.
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What do I wear the day of the flight?As a veteran, you will receive a shirt/hat/and lanyard from us for flight day that we ask you wear during your day. The only exception to this rule is if a veteran would like to wear his or her uniform or service hat instead. Guardians are given a different shirt/hat/lanyard that they must wear on flight day.
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What if I need to bring medication on the flight?Please bring a two-day supply just to be safe. Medications must be self administered or administered by a family member.
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