Honor Flight Central Coast California wants to continue taking as many veterans as possible to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials honoring their service in the military, but the nonprofit organization says there’s been slight hesitation from some veterans because of misconceptions they have either heard or seen online.
Since Honor Flight Central Coast California’s inception in 2014, they have flown an astounding 660-plus local veterans, their service ranging back to World War II, to Washington D.C. at no cost to them. Each veteran is required to have a guardian that pays a $1,300 fee to go along.
The organization has nearly 200 vets signed up and on a waiting list, but when it comes to actually committing to taking their honor flight, false narratives have deterred some from doing so.
“With the Vietnam vets, they were treated so horribly when they came back. They were told to take their uniforms off, they were spit on, they were called baby killers, and stuff like that. I think a lot of these guys are really hesitant about going back there,” said Bear McGill, Honor Flight Central Coast California Chairperson. “We've heard some stories from some veterans that they've heard that you actually get treated that way when you go back to D.C. I can guarantee you that is not what's happening back there.”
KSBY Daybreak Anchor and Senior Reporter Neil Hebert had the opportunity to join an honor flight with the organization in October of 2022, and he recalls it being an incredible experience. On his trip, all the veterans were treated with respect by everyone involved with Honor Flight CCC and other patrons visiting the memorials.
To learn more about Honor Flight CCC and to sign up, click here.
