“It’s not about the travel. It’s about the journey.” That’s what Steve Paulsell, Flight Director for Central Missouri Honor Flight said in preparation for its next flight. On Wednesday, October 30, the veterans will depart Columbia around 2AM and return late that same night.

Paulsell told Missourinet that the organization will take 87 Vietnam veterans to Washington, D.C. to see the nation’s military memorials. He said the trip provides closure to so many Vietnam vets.

“We didn’t really see that coming,” he explained. “It was advertised as a project to see memorials, but we learned from the first flight back in 2009 that it was much more than that. We’ve actually changed our approach the whole process to make it more focused on opportunities for healing.”

He said that even though interest in the flights is beginning to decline, it’s still important to honor those who fought for freedom.

“Quite frankly, these guys risked their lives to protect that very institution in Washington, D.C., the foundation of our democracy,” Paulsell said. “They fought for that to protect it, preserve it, and keep it the great country that it is. Every veteran that ever was should have that opportunity.”

He said it’s so important for the veterans of the Vietnam War to find healing and closure after so many years removed from service.

“We had a Vietnam marine veteran that we got to the entrance to the Vietnam Wall, and he stopped and paused for a minute, and I asked him if he was okay, and he said yeah,” he said. “He said, ‘I know 40 names on that wall.’ Can you imagine, 40 names!”

Paulsell said many of these vets would have never had the opportunity to go to Washington D.C. had it not been for Central Missouri Honor Flight. The military vets will tour several war memorials, including for World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Battle of Iwo Jima, as well as Arlington National Cemetery.

The flights are free to the veterans. Since 2009, Central Missouri Honor Flight has transported 5,334 veterans from central Missouri.

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