Rep. Boebert Secures Victory for Our Veterans: Honor Flight Services Resume for Our Nation's Heroes

Last month, Congresswoman Boebert, along with 75 other Members in the House of Representatives, sent a letter to Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland urgently requesting that the Department resume services for veterans participating in Honor Flight events in our nation's capital.

This week, the Honor Flight Network, the National Park Service (NPS), and the United States Park Police (USPP) positively responded to that request and announced the resumption of regularly scheduled Honor Flights for veterans visiting memorials in Washington, D.C., and also that the agencies will resume services supporting Honor Flight visits starting June 1.

Congresswoman Boebert stated, "Our nation’s veterans are true heroes and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Honor Flights are once-in-a-lifetime experiences and their last trip to our nation’s capital for many. The least we can do is welcome veterans appropriately and thank them for their sacrifices. Restoring these important services for America’s heroes is an important victory.” 

Background:

Since 2005, the Honor Flight Network has brought 250,000 veterans from across our nation to visit war memorials in their honor throughout Washington, D.C. The veterans who travel on these trips need the assistance of the United States Park Police and their police escort services due to limited parking and access issues around the monuments that cause navigation difficulties for veterans, particularly those confined to wheelchairs. Unfortunately, these services stopped in 2020.

On April 11, Congresswoman Boebert and 75 other Members in the House of Representatives sent a letter to the Department of the Interior requesting they immediately resume these services for veterans participating in Honor Flights. The Honor Flight Network, NPS, and USPP positively responded to that letter and announced the resumption of regularly scheduled Honor Flights and support services starting June 1.

The response from the Department of the Interior to Congresswoman Boebert can be found here. The full text of the successful April 11th letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Haaland,

We write to urgently request that the Department of the Interior (DOI) provide the Honor Flight Network with the National Park Service’s United States Park Police (USPP) vehicular escort services granted in previous years. Our brave veterans have made tremendous sacrifices to secure the freedoms we enjoy today. As a nation, we owe it to our heroes to give them the utmost honor and privilege that they deserve on their Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.

Since its founding, the Honor Flight Network has taken more than 245,000 World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, and terminally ill veterans on an all-expense paid trip to visit our nation’s capital.   Veterans visit – many for the first time – the very war memorials dedicated to their service to our country. During these trips, veterans share memories and accounts from their time in service, pay tribute to their lost comrades, and build important bonds with fellow participants. Honor Flights Hubs meticulously plan these experiences to further the Honor Flight Network’s vision of a country where “all of America’s veterans experience the honor, gratitude, and community of support they deserve.” 

In order to accomplish this worthy vision, it is imperative that DOI provide USPP vehicular escort services to Honor Flight Hubs slated to arrive this spring. The escort services play a critical logistical role in ensuring these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities run smoothly and safely as Hubs navigate the busy National Mall. It is imperative that veterans – particularly those with physical disabilities – have the necessary parking access to ensure ease of entry to each war memorial to get the full experience they have earned. As a country, we have asked much of our men and women in uniform. Time and again, they answered the call. We request that you grant Honor Flight Hubs the necessary vehicular escorts our veterans have clearly earned.

We appreciate your attention to this important matter and look forward to your response.