General FAQ
If you have a question, please contact us using our Contact Us form or email us at gotoDC@honorflightah.org
To help us direct your inquiry to the correct person, please let us know whether you are:
- A Veteran
- A Veteran’s family member
- Interested in volunteering
- Interested in serving as a Guardian
Donations can be made by mail or directly through our website. Contributions may also be made in person at approved events or speaking engagements. Only authorized Honor Flight of the Appalachian Highlands representatives may accept donations at public events.
Our mailing address is:
Honor Flight of the Appalachian Highlands
P.O. Box 251, Jonesborough, TN 37659
I’d like someone from Honor Flight of the Appalachian Highlands to speak to my civic group, school, or church.
We would love that opportunity. Please contact us through our Contact Us form or email president@honorflightah.org to request a speaker.
Applications can be accessed on our Applications pages and submitted online. If you would like a paper copy mailed, please contact us at gotoDC@honorflightah.org and we will mail an application to you.
Application availability and submission methods are listed on each application page. Please follow the instructions provided for the specific application type.
FAQ For Veterans
Veterans can apply online at our website, www.honorflightah.org; or you can use our paper application to apply and mail back to us at PO Box 251, Jonesborough, TN 37659
Yes, you served our nation regardless of it being in or out of country and regardless of if it was during peace or wartime. You stepped up and we want to honor you. You are eligible for an HFAH trip.
Unfortunately, no. While we recognize and appreciate the support of family during military service, widows and spouses of veterans are not eligible to travel on an Honor Flight trip.
There is no cost to the Veteran for an HFAH trip. By providing you with this trip, we are honoring your service and sacrifice. It is our privilege to provide you with the trip of a lifetime, with HONOR.
We are currently providing HFAH trips to Veterans thru the Vietnam Era, but we encourage Veterans of all eras to apply. We do give priority to World War II, Korean, and terminally ill Veterans. We process applications in the order that they are received outside of the priority categories. So, all Veterans who apply will have the opportunity to go on a HFAH trip; some just may have to wait until their service era is eligible.
A board member will contact you to confirm your travel availability when you are assigned to a trip; normally this is 3 months before the trip. If you are not able to travel on that trip, we will move you to the next available and contact you again to confirm you can travel. Once you are confirmed, you will receive a letter explaining details of the trip (for example: location, time, etc.) and you will receive a medical form and a trip waiver which you will return to us.
No, we do not move people to the front of the selection process unless they fall into our priority categories. We ask Veterans who have applied not to donate prior to their trip as this is our way of honoring them. Veterans have given enough; this is our way of saying thank you.
Currently, HFAH schedules up to five trips to Washington DC each year. These trips are each a three-day bus trip in both the Spring and Fall.
No, once you apply, applications are held until the Veteran is placed on a trip. There is no need to apply multiple times.
No. As there are many Veterans waiting for the experience, we must limit trips to 1 per Veteran.
Each ambulatory veteran who is able to get on and off the bus is eligible to participate. There is an Honor Chair (wheelchair) available for every veteran traveling, so if there is a need to rest during the trip, the Guardian will assist you. A certified EMT travels on each trip and can assist where necessary. Veterans who have had to travel with oxygen, insulin diabetics and those with other medical needs have been accommodated. If you have specific questions about traveling with your medical condition, please contact us at gotoDC@honorflightah.org
For our honored Veterans who are able, we invite you to submit an application to travel as a Guardian where you can support a veteran on their first Honor Flight mission.
FAQ For Guardians
As a designated Guardian on an Honor Flight, you will be responsible to ensure that the military Veteran you are accompanying has everything he/she needs in order to enjoy a safe and memorable trip. Depending on the medical/physical abilities of the Veteran, this could involve pushing a wheelchair, taking frequent walking breaks in a comfortable location or simply sharing the experience of the mission. The daily duties will be discussed at the mandatory Guardian training.
HFAH schedules five missions per year to Washington DC. With a goal to have 21 Veterans on each trip, all efforts are made to have 21 Guardians. Many of the Veterans pre-identify a friend or family member as a Guardian so those arrangements are made first. For Veterans who do not designate, volunteer Guardians are contacted by a Board member to determine their availability. This usually takes place 2-3 months prior to the trip.
No. Once an application has been accepted, the details are placed in our database for future consideration. If you need to verify that your application has been received, please inquire at our gotoDC address.
The HFAH Board does fundraising all year to provide the mission trip free to all military veterans. Guardians pay $400 for the trip. Guardians who have been Honorably Discharged from the military or who have served as Guardians on a previous HFAH trip receive a $100 discount. For those who may need financial assistance, we can provide some personal fundraising ideas. If you feel that you may still need some assistance, contact the Guardian Coordinator or gotoDC for more details. The Guardian fee should be paid at least three weeks prior to departure. Checks can be mailed to P.O. Box 251, Jonesborough TN 37659. Our online payment platform, Zeffy, is available, contact us for payment details.
Yes! Thanks to technology, Guardian training can be done via Zoom during the event. You must notify the Guardian Coordinator at least one week before the training to receive a Zoom Invitation.
Because many hotel rates are seasonal, HFAH utilizes a variety of 3 and 4-star hotels in the greater Washington DC area. Guardians and Veterans room together, unless a community guardian is the opposite sex of the Veteran. In that case, we will pair the Veteran and Guardian with another person of the same gender.
HFAH leaves the Tri-Cities area on Friday morning on a charter bus with a stop at Virginia Military Institute for lunch and a tour. Friday evening is a hosted dinner in DC followed by the hotel check-in. On Saturday we visit a variety of memorials and museums coordinated through the Honor Flight Network. Saturday night is another hosted dinner with a return to the same hotel. Following breakfast on Sunday morning we reboard the bus to travel back to the Tri-Cities with a stop for lunch and a tour at the D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia
The primary duty of a Guardian is the safety of the Veteran. Ensure they are hydrated, have taken their medication and take advantage of meal times. If they are hard of hearing, be willing to repeat information. Be their eyes, ears, and hands that can open a water bottle. During the mission, offer to be their personal photographer. Rather than having the veteran take a picture of a memorial, offer to use their camera to take their picture while at the location. And one of the most important things you can do is listen. Listen to their stories. Allow them to share their experiences. For many, they have never talked about their time in the service.
Please pack a small suitcase and include comfortable clothing and shoes, a light jacket, hat, toiletries, personal medication and a camera. Friday and Sunday include extended bus rides, so comfort is key. Saturday you will be wearing the Guardian t-shirt that will be provided on Friday night. If the weather is cool, wearing a long-sleeved shirt underneath is recommended. During warm weather consider sunscreen; during rains pack a travel poncho. While meals and snacks are provided, you can bring food and snacks that meet your needs. The only money you will need is if you plan to buy souvenirs.
A certified EMT will be traveling with us on the trip. For minor issues, he/she is available on the bus, at the hotel or via cell phone while in DC. If you or your Veteran suffers a medical emergency on the trip, immediately call 911. It can take 45 minutes for medical aid to reach you in DC. Once that call is made, call the EMT and provide your location and describe the medical issue. The EMT and HFAH Board member phone numbers are on a card inside your name tag holder.
You may email HFAH at: gotodc@honorflightah.org
Or call the Guardian Coordinator, Valerie 951-313-7831
Follow our social media Facebook and Instagram accounts Honor Flight of the Appalachian Highlands
or visit our website: www.honorflightah.org
FAQ for Motorcycle Escorts
Honor Flight Appalachian Highlands (HFAH) welcomes anyone who would like to ride escort on our trip to honor our Veterans. All types of motorcycles are welcome.
No. Different groups graciously host the Honor Flight and welcome all travelers, friends and family to meet at their location on the morning of departure. The same location is the site of the homecoming. Information regarding the locations is posted on the website and Social Media outlets.
HFAH will post all departure locations, dates and times on the website and on Social Media outlets. From the departure point, the escorts will ride to a predetermined location, typically the TN-VA state line. Escorts are asked to be at the departure location at least one hour before the scheduled trip
time.
Absolutely! HFAH returns to pick up the escort at the Tennessee Welcome Center on I-81. The escorts should be at the Welcome Center at least one hour prior to the scheduled bus arrival time.
Escorts who are part of the HFAH events ride according to AMA-sanctioned staggered riding rules. The formation should stay as tight as safely possible to allow the bus to maintain a consistent and safe speed. Motorcycles are paired with similar bikes while trikes are paired with other trikes. Placement within the formation is determined by the number of bikes present and at the discretion of the Escort Coordinator.
You may email HFAH at: gotodc@honorflightah.org
Or call the Guardian Coordinator, Valerie 951-313-7831
Follow our social media Facebook and Instagram accounts Honor Flight of the Appalachian Highlands or visit our website: www.honorflightah.org
Mission FAQ's
Normally 21 Veterans and 21 Guardians are scheduled on each trip.
It is a long day with lots of walking, so we have an honor chair (wheelchair) available for each of our Veterans.
Please bring comfortable clothing and shoes; and a light jacket. A t-shirt will be provided for Saturday. If you tend to get cold, consider a long sleeved t-shirt for underneath to layer. Please feel free to bring a travel pillow or throw it if you need it for the bus ride. Overhead compartments are available. Please think of your needs/preferences and be comfortable. And don’t forget all medications that you need for the weekend.
Of course. We have a professional photographer along who will share the photos via photo sharing software (Drop Box, for example). HFAH will share the link with you so you can access those photos following the trip, but you are welcome to bring your own camera.
The only money you will need for the trip is if you plan to buy souvenirs.
We have medical support on the trip to help with emergency care while we travel; sometimes in Washington DC, an ambulance can take 40-45 minutes to arrive on scene so we have a volunteer EMT or Paramedic on our bus to help provide any basic emergency care that might be necessary. All medical issues/conditions are shared with the EMT/Paramedic so that he/she is attuned to the needs of those on the bus.
All meals and snacks are provided at no cost to you (Friday lunch, Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner and Sunday breakfast and lunch). Snack bags are distributed each day and extra snacks are available. Water and soda are also available throughout the trip.
HFAH provides lodging at a 3 to 4-star hotel in the Washington DC area. We price hotels for each mission to ensure that donated dollars are spent in the most efficient manner. Guardians and Veterans will room together. If a community guardian is the opposite sex of the Veteran, we will pair the Veteran with another person of the same gender.
HFAH trips leave the Tri-Cities area on Friday, and we travel to Washington DC with a stop for lunch mid-day. Friday and Saturday dinners are hosted by Veteran’s groups in the DC area. On Saturday, we visit many of the memorials in DC, dedicated to the service and sacrifice of our Nation’s heroes. On Sunday, we return home with a stop for lunch on the way. Our goal is to be back at our starting location by 5PM.
Yes, all Veterans on the trip are assigned a guardian; we can assign 1 guardian to 2 ambulatory Veterans. The guardian can be a family member (excluding spouse or significant other) or friend. If a Veteran doesn’t have a guardian, we have community guardians who are waiting to travel. A guardian is to ensure that the Veteran has the best experience possible; they are there to serve the Veteran. Guardians pay the cost of the trip to escort a hero on a trip of a lifetime, with HONOR.
No. Arlington Cemetery spans 624 acres and finding a specific gravesite cannot be accommodated within the limited time that we have available. In addition, the HFAH charter bus is mandated to follow a very specific route that allows us the privilege of parking directly in front of the pathway to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and we don’t want to abuse that privilege.
Yes. HFAH recognizes and respects the desire of our female Veterans to see their own memorial; when we have a female Veteran on our trip, we schedule a stop at the MWM.
Veterans and Guardians will be subject to a very tight schedule during the trip, and we cannot accommodate any deviations from that itinerary. However, friends are welcome to meet Veterans at the hotel Friday or Saturday evening, or at the memorials.
Packing guidelines will be provided to the selected Veterans and Guardians prior to the trip. Note that space is limited, so travelers are encouraged to pack lightly. Small suitcases and duffle bags are stored beneath the bus during travel while personal items can be placed in the small overhead bin inside the bus. Ensure that all medications remain with you in the passenger compartment of the bus as there is no storage access during travel to/from Washington DC.
Post Trip FAQ
We are only able to honor Veterans once with a HFAH trip; it’s important to take as many Veterans as possible to Washington DC so only 1 trip as an honored Veteran. If you are physically able, you may apply to go as a guardian to support other Veterans that may not have a guardian to go with them but you must be physically able to serve as a guardian.
You can donate to ensure other Veterans can experience an HFAH trip by mailing a check to us or you can donate via our online payment platform, Zeffy. Again, we ask that honored Veterans not make a financial contribution until after they have received their trip of a lifetime, with HONOR.
Yes, we always have a need for volunteers to work on our fundraising events, attend our send off and return or support our efforts. If you want to volunteer, we have a job for you.
Watch our social media account or our website, www.honorflightah.org
Location Hosting FAQs
No. Different churches and organization host the Honor Flight Veterans and Guardians to coordinate the send-off and return. We welcome interested groups to consider being the location hosts if their site is near major roads and a tour bus can safely travel on a designated route.
To host the send-off and return of an Honor Flight, the location will need to provide:
- Adequate location for a full-sized tour bus to enter and exit.
- Space for 100 people to sit for the program
- A microphone and public address system
- Long-term parking for 20+ cars for the weekend.
- Parking for 50 – 75 cars for the send-off and return days/times
- A table at the location entrance for Veterans & Guardians to check in
- Patriotic décor
- Recorded patriotic music for arrival and departure.
- A live band is not necessary!
Encouraging participation from location members for both the send-off and return is helpful. Welcoming the travelers and their friends & family on the morning of departure and at the welcome home is meaningful for all involved. Locations are also welcome to provide coffee and breakfast items on departure mornings as well as flags for guests to wave as the Veterans are loading the bus. On the return, these flags can be redistributed to welcome the Veterans who are returning home from Washington DC. If the hosts have other ideas for the farewell and return events, the Location Coordinator would be glad to help.
HFAH will post all departure locations, dates and times on their website and on social media outlets. Flyers for the event are printed and distributed to a variety of groups and shared at presentations. A map of the location with designated entrances and long-term parking locations are provided to travelers. The HFAH team will invite local politicians to the event and coordinate the Presentation of Colors. There is a dedicated location Coordinator assigned to each event who will be on-site to assist.
You may email HFAH at: gotodc@honorflightah.org or
beckyjarnagin@yahoo.com
Follow our social media Facebook and Instagram accounts Honor Flight of the Appalachian
Highlands or visit our website: www.honorflightah.org