Having just completed its 11th successful flight The Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight has given Iowa veterans, who represent over 154 communities, a free trip to the nation’s capital to take in their wartime memorials. Since 2013 forty-two World War II and Korean Veterans from Carroll County have been on those past flights, and this Veteran’s Day Brushy Creek has made the announcement they are expanding the program in 2016 to include Vietnam era Vets and that upcoming flights will be “All Veteran Flights” allowing for over 140 more Veterans to board the planes. Louie Grote, with the Carroll County Veteran’s Affair Office, encourages new applicants of any era to stop by and fill out an application.
Currently twelve Carroll County Veterans have applied for the Honor Flights which are scheduled for May 7 and September 17 of next year. The one day trip, Grote says, does make for a long day, but Veterans are able to visit many war memorials.
Grote has not made the trip himself, but reports that many Veterans find the journey to be emotionally fulfilling.
The cost for the flight is free to any qualifying Veteran. Donations were raised to specifically support those in Carroll County and currently there is around $20,000 is still available. The organizers of the Brushy Creek Honor Flight, Grote says, are to be commended for their inclusion of all local Vets.
For more information or to schedule an appointment at the Carroll Veteran’s Affair Office, located in the lower level of the Fricke Building at 608 N. Court Street in Carroll, call 712-792-1234 and choose option 3. Grote says that by visiting the office Veterans will also be able to make sure that any services offered to them are being utilized. For any future honor flights as long donations exist to support a local Veteran’s trip they will continue to sponsor the flights Grote says. If you’d like to donate the best way is to stop by the office so the donated amount can be officially tabulated in order to support Carroll County Veterans.
