Angel Flights

Angel flights are an important component to the US Military. It is the flight that is taking our fallen home to their final resting places. These soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines have come back from Europe, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, etc. They all have the same thing in common, they paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. As veteran of the US Armed Forces, I believe that all gave some and some gave all. If you want to see a definition of a hero, go down to your local Veterans Hospital.

We as a country have become so selfish in all things. I was reading a story about a passenger on American Airlines, who when asked to remain seated so a "Gold Star" family could exit the aircraft first to ride with their son who died for us. That passenger got up and exited the aircraft. As a former ramp agent, we take this part of our job seriously, we remove the body from the aircraft, while the ones on the ramp stand with their hats off. We do this as our way of paying respect to that family. How would you feel if every passenger got up to exit the aircraft as you were trying to retrieve your loved ones remains?

This weekend is Memorial Day here in America. It is the day in which we honor those who sacrificed their lives for our great nation. In November, we celebrate Veterans Day for all who have served. Without those men and women we wouldn't be free today, nor remain free tomorrow.

Once our veterans return home injured and maimed their fight and struggles continues. They have to fight the government for the compensation they so fairly deserve. In the VA if you are rated at fifty percent disabled and they give you an extra ten percent, you aren't sixty percent disabled, you are still fifty percent disabled.

Every year Boy Scouts go out to veterans cemeteries and place small flags on every veterans grave. They do so with pride. At Arlington Cemetery, our troops place flags on the graves of our fallen. As a kid I never understood why we had Memorial Day, but as I became older I realized why.

If you want to thank someone who served, then go to your local veterans cemetery and pay your respects to them because they paid the ultimate price for your freedoms and mine. Remember every day there is an "Angel Flight" going out to pick up America's fallen. Another thing you can do to honor our fallen is to attend your city's Memorial Day Parade and to teach the younger generation as to why we celebrate this day. Remember it isn't a four day weekend of parties, barbeques and booze, although people treat it like that's the main reason.

The angel flight is an honor for military personnel to work. It is a solemn occurrence and our service men and women take it seriously. When the flight touches down at Andrews Air Force Base for the President to receive the bodies of our fallen, he realizes the cost. Each coffin is draped with the American Flag and then released to the family. Most airlines will fly the body for free out of respect for their sacrifice.. On the day of burial at the graveside, they do the traditional twenty-one gun salute and then the bag pipes are played.

That passenger that deplaned ahead of the "Gold Star" family I told you about earlier, was booed by his fellow passengers as he exited the aircraft for his lack of respect. On different flight, a high school choir saw the body of one of our fallen being loaded onto their aircraft and sang, God Bless America.

There is a company called Angel Flight, which provides non emergency medical travel for patients to get to an appointment. This is totally different than the military type.

When President Trump met with Kim Jung Un, he was criticized heavily for it. But like he said what did he have to lose? He did get some of our missing soldiers remains returned home from North Korea so their family could have closure. What an honor that would have been to work that flight to bring Korean War veterans home.

We have the best military in the world, so we can be the best country. I don't see my fellow citizens behaving like we do. Remember the fallen this weekend. Thank a veteran on Veterans day in November.