Many American Legion Auxiliary members throughout the country volunteer with Honor Flight, an organization that transports our nation’s veterans to see the war memorials in Washington, D.C.
 
Beginning in 2021, the American Legion Auxiliary National Headquarters entered a formal partnership with Honor Flight Inc. to support their mission to celebrate America’s veterans by inviting them to share in a day of honor at our nation’s memorials. The partnership enables our units and departments to directly donate poppy funds generated from the distribution of poppies — the symbol of the sacrifice of service made by our veterans, military, and their families.
 
Our members often experience heartfelt moments with this organization, from volunteering at airports to serving as a guardian for veterans to writing letters for mail call. 
 
 
NANCY BABIS 
DEPARTMENT OF NEW YORK

It’s been five years since ALA member Nancy Babis first got involved with Honor Flight and she has volunteered since. Her introduction to the program was simple — she read an article in a local newspaper that talked about their mission, and they were looking for volunteers. She joined the team and volunteered at a chicken barbecue. 
 
“I had been an American Legion Auxiliary member for 60 years and always enjoyed serving veterans,” Babis said. “My parents were in World War II and my husband in Vietnam era. It was a new way to serve veterans.”
 
So far, Babis has been on five Honor Flights. 
 
There are many memorable highlights as part of this shared experience with veterans, but the Vietnam memorial stands out in Babis’ mind.   
 
“I think helping Vietnam veterans find their comrades’ names on the wall at the Vietnam memorial is the most touching experience,” she recalled. “The tenderness in their voice when they share memories of their time in combat is so touching. The app that helps find names on the wall now has faces of most of the young men and women who gave their all. It makes you picture the veteran as a young man full of hope for their future. Hearing a veteran talk with teens at the wall and answering their questions and encouraging them to serve their country sent chills up my back.”

Babis offers advice for ALA members who have not yet participated in an Honor Flight.

“Visit the websites of Honor Flight programs in your community and state, and complete the volunteer application,” she suggested. “Channel the many creative ways ALA members have to fundraise and commit to raising Poppy Funds for one veteran at a time. Another way would be to help veterans at post homes to complete applications.”
 
The ALA’s partnership with Honor Flight helps create this experience for veterans across the country. 
 
“I hope it will help make these missions possible,” she said. “I look forward to speaking to more groups of ALA members to educate them on the program and the eligible veterans.”
 
DARLENE ALLEN
DEPARTMENT OF NEW MEXICO

A guest speaker at the New Mexico Department Convention introduced Darlene Allen to Honor Flight in 2019. 
 
“My commitment to honoring and supporting veterans motivated me to participate in the Honor Flight program,” Allen said. “Upon learning that this organization provides flights for our veterans to visit our nation’s memorials for a day of tribute, I realized it was an exceptional opportunity and knew the experience would offer invaluable memories that I will cherish for a long time.”
 
Darlene has assisted with being part of the sendoff and welcome-home ceremonies at the airport, as well as serving as a guardian to a Vietnam veteran on an Honor Flight. It took her five years to be selected to serve as a guardian.
 
“During the flights, the captains made special announcements to the passengers, recognizing the veterans onboard,” Allen recalled. “The captains played Lee Greenwood’s patriotic song God Bless the USA, which prompted the veterans and passengers to sing along. Pride and joy were evident on the faces of the veterans as they moved through the airport. They were cheered and applauded by passersby who learned of their mission. It was a deeply emotional experience for me to witness the joy and pride of standing beside these veterans and honoring their service. It was hard to hold back my tears.”
 
For Allen, the partnership between the ALA and Honor Flight is incredibly important for both organizations. 
 
“As a long-standing member of the American Legion Auxiliary, I have continuously supported its mission to serve and support veterans,” she said. “The Honor Flight program provided me with the invaluable opportunity to honor my family members, my grandfather, uncles, brother, and son — who have bravely served in the military.”
The collaboration efforts — contributions through Poppy Funds and support from the ALA — will enable more veterans to participate in Honor Flight by helping cover expenses, such as airfare, lodging, meals, and all transportation. 
 
AMY LUFT
DEPARTMENT OF WISCONSIN

In 2009, Amy Luft’s journey with Honor Flight began when she served as a guardian for two World War II veterans. For her, it was a life-changing experience. 
 
She was asked to join the board of directors in 2010 and served as vice president for six years. To date, Luft has participated on 54 Honor Flights. 
 
Like some ALA members, Luft found out about Honor Flight through a community newspaper article. 
 
“At the time, I was president of my local ALA unit,” she said. “Two days before the second flight, the organizer contacted me and said, ‘What are you doing on Saturday?’ Of course, I dropped everything to take part in the flight. Little did I know what an impact this program would have on me.”
 
The mission of Honor Flight — similar to the ALA — drew Luft to the organization to help our nation’s veterans. 
 
She has experienced many touching moments so far. One veteran experience she recalled was one who had not spoken to his son or seen him in 12 years, so he didn’t have someone to be his guardian for the flight. 
 
“Part of our confirmation process is contacting family members to inform them that their family member is taking a flight and to ask them to assist with mail call and attend the homecoming celebration,” Luft said. “I contacted his son, and he indicated that he would help with the mail call but could not promise to be at the airport. Upon the return home, the veteran was being pushed in his wheelchair through the homecoming parade when suddenly he put his feet down and stopped the wheelchair. There in the crowd at the parade stood his son. The son and veteran hugged and embraced each other and everyone around was crying. The son contacted us afterward and thanked us. He said if it wasn’t for Honor Flight, chances are that he and his dad probably still wouldn’t be talking. But now, they talk every day.”
 
Luft experienced another meaningful flight back in 2012. It was a WWII veteran who was unsure about going — he was wheelchair-bound, on oxygen, and had no one to fly with. His only child served in Vietnam and was killed in action. The veteran went on the trip and wanted to find his son’s name on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  
 
“As I stood next to him, I watched this wheelchair-bound veteran use all his might to reach out and touch his son’s name,” Luft recalled. “He then struggled to push himself up out of his wheelchair, stood straight up, and saluted. It’s the most profound thing that I have ever witnessed. The veteran then sat back down and tugged at my jacket and said, ‘I can now go home.’ That veteran passed away four days later and now I know what he meant. He needed that closure in his life.”
 
Luft said there are many ways to get involved with Honor Flight as a unit member: Help a veteran get signed up to be on a flight, attend a homecoming event, write cards and letters for mail call, and assist monetarily through Poppy Funds. 
 
“The goal of Honor Flight is to create a nation where all of America’s veterans experience the honor, gratitude, and community of support they deserve,” Luft said. “With the help of the American Legion Auxiliary, this goal will become a reality.”
 
DARA OLIVER
DEPARTMENT OF FLORIDA 

Mission complete. 
 
Dara Oliver took her father, David Bulterman Sr., on an Honor Flight in 2024 and 13.5 hours later, he passed away. 
 
“He died knowing he had the opportunity to thank his comrades who didn’t make it home,” Oliver said. “This was the biggest gift Honor Flight could have ever given us. I think that was completion for him.” 
 
He was looking forward to the trip despite having congestive heart failure. Oliver was her dad’s guardian for the day. 
 
“I had never seen my dad get choked up about his military service, but this was a healing and forgiveness trip,” she said. 
 
Originally, they were scheduled for a flight in September versus April as there were WWII and Korean War veterans ahead of him. Oliver talked to the head nurse at Honor Flight, concerned her father wouldn’t make it until September. 
 
He received the call in February that a spot had opened on the April flight, so he had a few months to prepare.
 
“I need sneakers; I need a hat,” she recalled her dad telling her about wanting to prepare for the trip. “He wanted it to be perfect.” 
 
Oliver had challenge coins made for him to hand out on the trip, and he loved doing that, she said. 
 
The trip with her dad was Oliver’s highlight with Honor Flight so far. She also had the opportunity to be a guardian for Louie Montante, a veteran she has known since she was 17 years old. It was also a memorable experience for her to have the role of guardian. 
 
Oliver’s involvement with Honor Flight began in 2015, donating snacks for flights. She has continued to serve in different capacities with the organization since. 
 
“I love the connection, the partnership we have with Honor Flight to know that Auxiliary members have an opportunity to participate in the program by donating snacks, volunteering at the airport, and as a guardian,” she said.