Vandalia Health’s Broaddus Hospital Nurse Dave Strait recently had the honor of serving as a Guardian on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., accompanying a group of about 100 veterans and an equal number of volunteers from West Virginia and Kentucky. The group visited memorials dedicated to those who served and sacrificed for their country.
The Honor Flight program provides all-expenses-paid trips for veterans to visit their service memorials. It was established to honor veterans and offer them a memorable experience of reflection, camaraderie and gratitude.
The Honor Flight, a round-trip flight from Benedum Airport in Clarksburg, was sponsored by VFWs from the Huntington and Clarksburg areas. As part of the flight, Strait escorted a Vietnam veteran and assisted a Korean war veteran, both from Barbour County.
“It was a tremendous honor to serve these heroes as they made their journey to Washington, D.C.,” Strait said. “Seeing their reactions was deeply moving and I’m grateful to have been part of such a meaningful day. The Honor Flight program is an ideal way to give back to our veterans who gave so much for our country.”
As a Guardian, Strait supported veterans throughout the day, assisting with travel logistics, mobility needs and emotional support as they visited national landmarks, including individual military memorials, war memorials, Arlington National Cemetery and the monuments surrounding the National Mall.
“The job of the Guardian is to see that the veteran has whatever they need during the trip, and most of all, is not alone,” Strait said. “The bulk of those who were on the trip are veterans of the Vietnam War, and the one thing that many of them spoke of was the lack of a welcome home. This Honor Flight made sure there was a proper welcome home for them this time.
“As we exited the plane, we walked through fellow veterans bearing flags and saluting their brothers and sisters in service. I was so honored to slowly push a Vietnam veteran in a wheelchair through the massive welcoming committee. There were sons and daughters, friends and neighbors and fellow veterans cheering them on. Seeing wives holding up signs welcoming ‘their boys’ home and the hugs they knew their boys had not gotten but were so deserving of, brought tears to my eyes. As we prepared to depart the plane, the organizer got on the PA
system and announced, ‘To the World War II vets, thank you for our freedom. To the Korean War vets, you will not be forgotten. And to the Vietnam vets, welcome home!’”
In addition to serving as a Guardian, Strait also served as a member of the trip’s medical team and has been invited to continue as a medical team member on future Honor Flights.
“I want to extend our heartfelt appreciation for Dave’s dedication and service in volunteering as a Guardian for an Honor Flight,” said Dana Gould, CAO for Broaddus Hospital. “We are incredibly proud to have someone who goes above and beyond not only in his care for our patients but also in his service to our community and our veterans.”
For more information about the Honor Flight program, visit HonorFlight.org.
For information about Vandalia Health’s Davis Health System, visit DavisHealthSystem.org.
