June 25, 2025 • 23 mins
Freedom isn't free—a truth Michelle Stewart and the Honor Flight program understand deeply. As president of Honor Flight of the Appalachian Highlands, Michelle has dedicated herself to giving veterans the recognition they earned through their service and sacrifice.
What began as a Facebook message from a high school friend in 2021 has transformed into a mission that's touched hundreds of veterans' lives throughout Northeast Tennessee. Michelle reveals the powerful journey these veterans experience during their three-day Honor Flight trips to Washington DC. From the moment they board the bus amid motorcycle escorts and flag-waving supporters, these veterans—many who never received proper recognition upon returning home—are finally given the "welcome home" they deserved decades ago.
The itinerary is both exhaustive and emotionally charged. Veterans visit Arlington Cemetery for wreath-laying ceremonies, tour memorials dedicated to their specific conflicts, and experience the camaraderie of fellow servicemembers who truly understand their experiences. For Vietnam veterans especially, who often faced hostility rather than gratitude upon their return, these trips heal wounds carried for half a century. As Michelle poignantly shares, "We want to change that. We want to give them that welcome home."
Perhaps most touching is the Memorial Mission program, where photographs of deceased veterans are carried throughout the journey, ensuring those who never had the chance to participate are still honored at every memorial. "You die your first death when you leave this earth," Michelle explains, "but as long as your name is spoken, you don't ever die a second death." Through these missions, veterans' sacrifices are acknowledged, their stories preserved, and their service celebrated.
With approximately 50,000 Vietnam veterans nationwide still waiting for their Honor Flight opportunity, Michelle and her team rely on community support to continue their mission. Follow their journey on Facebook and Instagram at Honor Flight of the Appalachian Highlands or email gotodc@honorflightah.org to discover how you can help honor those who gave so much for our freedom.
To help you to navigate the home buying and mortgage process, Jonathan & Steve are currently licensed in Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia, contact us today at 423-491-5405 or visit www.jonathanandsteve.com.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is Benchmark Happenings, brought to you by
Jonathan and Steve fromBenchmark Home Loans.
Northeast Tennessee, johnsonCity, kingsport, bristol, the
Tri-Cities One of the mostbeautiful places in the country
to live.
Tons of great things to do andawesome local businesses.
(00:21):
And on this show you'll findout why people are dying to move
to Northeast Tennessee.
And on the way we'll havediscussions about mortgages and
we'll interview people in thereal estate industry.
It's what we do.
This is Benchmark Happenings,brought to you by Benchmark Home
Loans and now your host,christine Reed.
(00:42):
And now your host, christineReed.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Welcome back everybody to another episode of
Benchmark Happenings, and thestar of our show today is
Michelle Stewart.
Michelle, welcome, Thank you somuch for having me.
Christine, Absolutely.
And so, Michelle, what we'regoing to talk about today is the
volunteer work that you do forour area veterans with the Honor
(01:07):
Flight.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yes, ma'am, I am the president of Honor Flight of the
Appalachian Highlands, anorganization that's been founded
since September 2021.
And our whole goal is to honorveterans for their service and
their sacrifice and to take themto Washington DC to see the
memorials that were erected tohonor their service by a
grateful, thankful nation.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Oh, I tell you that is what you all are doing,
michelle.
You are touching lives.
I mean, if I think about it toomuch, I'll start crying,
because we had an experiencewith Honor Flight.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
You did and we had a wonderful experience with Mr
Reed.
I think he smiled the wholetime and he had such a good time
.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
He is quite the character, but he was so much
fun to be on that trip with andjust so jolly and so amazed that
people were taking their timeto honor him for his service and
his sacrifice and he deservedthat, yeah, he actually, I mean,
he starts crying when he talksabout it because it meant so
much to him and it was sowonderful that Steve, my husband
(02:16):
, steve, his son, could go withhim as his guardian.
And so I just think, honorFlight, you know, I'm so
thankful it's been established.
There's several venuesthroughout the country that men
and women are taking.
So, basically, the requirementsfor this, michelle, what are
(02:36):
they?
Speaker 3 (02:37):
We can take a veteran , whether they've served
stateside or in-country, orwhether they've just served in
the National Guard.
Those men and women took anoath to serve and protect.
So we will honor any veteranthat has served in any branch,
regardless of time.
The only thing is, right now weare only serving up through
Vietnam era or terminally illveterans.
(02:57):
The reason why is, I think, wedon't stop and realize how many
Vietnam veterans there were andhow many are on waiting lists to
go on an Honor Flight trip.
For example, here in theTri-Cities area we have about
110 Vietnam veterans waiting totravel and they've applied and
we're just getting to them.
Across the nation with allHonor Flight hubs, there's about
(03:20):
50,000 Vietnam veterans.
So that's why we've kind ofstopped at Vietnam veterans.
But we also want to taketerminally ill veterans from
other wars that may not get theopportunity to go.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Absolutely.
You know, and I think theveterans from Vietnam did not
get the welcome home that theydeserved.
I know that one of thegentlemen that's a friend of
ours that went.
He was a little just shy aboutgoing because of the experience
that he had, but you all changedhis life.
(03:53):
Awesome, I'm so glad to hearthat you did.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
We say on the bus coming home my last words to
them before we pull in is, onbehalf of a grateful nation and
the Honor Flight Board ofDirectors Welcome Home.
So we want to change that.
We want to give them thatwelcome home, because so many of
them were treated so poorly andthey were just doing what their
country asked them to do.
They didn't understand what theywere being sent to Vietnam for.
(04:16):
Most of them were so young,they probably didn't even know
where it was on the map, but yettheir country needed them and
their country sent them and theywent and did what they were
asked to do.
Yes, and how they were treatedwhen they come home was so
horrible and so horrific that ifwe can change it, then we
should be changing it, and if anhonor flight trip does it, it
makes my heart happy that we cando that.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
So, Michelle, what got you started doing this,
serving the area veterans?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I have always served the community in some fashion.
I'm just a strong believer incommunity is home.
You should make your communitybetter.
But in August of 2021, I had ahigh school friend that sent me
a Facebook message and he wantedto talk to me about a project
and I kind of pushed him off fora few days because that's what
we women do.
We're just like, oh, I'm goingto ignore that.
Well, we've got enough.
Yeah, we've got enough on ourplate.
(05:07):
Yeah, we've got enough on ourplate.
What's he wanting from me?
I'm not interested.
But so he sent me a message andsaid would you call me?
I want to talk to you aboutsomething.
So I called him and he startedtelling me about the impact he
had with his dad on Honor FlightTrip.
They had been and it wasamazing, and he just wanted
other veterans to have thatopportunity and unfortunately
there was not a hub operatinghere in the Tri-Cities at that
(05:27):
time.
So he wanted to reestablishHonor Flight in our area.
So he's trying to find a coupleof people to help him.
So he asked me if I'd bewilling to do it and I said oh,
let me pray about it, let methink about it.
My dad's a Vietnam veteran andmy initial thought in my mind
was I'll get my dad to go andit'll be a great experience for
the two of us.
So I prayed about it and Ireally thought that was where
(05:49):
the Lord was sending me is toHonor Flight.
So I said yes and we had ourfirst board meeting and I was
elected president and I wasn'texpecting that.
But you know, I believe inwhere the Lord puts you.
You should serve.
So that's how that came about.
But Honor Flight for me is justa way to respect my dad's
service and my granddad's bothserved in World War II in the
(06:09):
Army.
Oh, my goodness, and then myhusband's 82nd Airborne, so he
is a veteran from 82nd Airborneand I'm just like it's what I
should do as a grateful Americanand I live in the greatest
country in the world we do, so Ishould be serving those who
served.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
And I love that, you know, I love the fact that you
love our country and I loveAmerica too.
I agree.
I think we do live in thegreatest country God has blessed
us to put us here.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
And it.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Just it really hurts my heart to hear people put down
our country and you knowthey're just been told so many
lies and just manipulated,believing that all the things
that we've done as a nation andwe've been one of the most
generous nations in the worldand the creation of the
education system, hospitals,orphanages, I mean so many
(06:59):
things that our country has done, and then, plus, our veterans
are amazing veterans, are menand women that have served for
our country has done.
And then, plus our veterans,our amazing veterans, our men
and women that have served forour country, and so I love your
passion and you're just adelight and I know that it's
your heart, you give from yourheart, michelle, and so it's
(07:20):
just, it's so refreshing to seethat.
So tell us about.
So what does an Honor Flightlook like?
I mean, what can someone expect?
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Someone that's going on an Honor Flight trip is a
veteran.
They can expect nothing to becared for all weekend they
expect to be honored and thattheir service matters and that
people want to hear their storyand listen to their story.
I think a lot of veterans thatgo on an honor flight trip or
they're like, hmm, our motto isa trip of a lifetime with honor
and many of them go.
(07:51):
I don't think you're going topull that off.
But then when we get back homeI have several of them go.
Oh my gosh, it was the trip ofa lifetime because they've not
only been honored for theirservice but they've been with
other people that have walked intheir bootsteps.
They have been with othergrateful, thankful Americans.
And then they're doing it witha guardian.
A lot of times veterans will goI don't need a guardian.
I'm like, no, you really do foran honor flight trip.
(08:13):
And I always make the joke I'mlike the reason why you need a
guardian is because I'm blondeand I could leave you, so your
guardian won't let you be leftbehind.
So I make the joke that way.
But you know, the guardian isthere to share and to listen and
to truly put that veteran first.
We tell guardians that they'regetting to serve a hero.
Yes, and that's truly what itis.
(08:34):
But we've built relationshipswith our veterans that you would
have never guessed.
Like they've made friends andthey get back together on a
flight, host a reunion once ayear.
So they all come back togetherto have the camaraderie.
And so it's amazing Like at oursend off for Mission 12 that we
just had a couple of weeks ago,there were veterans there for
(08:54):
Mission 11 and guardians andyour family was there?
Yes, absolutely, but there was awhen we came home Sunday there
was a veteran there from Mission1.
That was August of 22 or Aprilof 22.
I'm sorry, april, there he wassupporting other veterans and
just being there to welcome themhome.
So it's like you build an HonorFlight family in a community.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Yeah, like you said, it's a fantastic experience.
So they get on a bus and thenwhere are some of the stops?
What are some of the thingsthat they do along the way,
michelle?
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Sure, on Friday we leave somewhere in the
Tri-Cities usually a church andI'll put a selfless plug in that
.
If any church or organizationwould ever like to host Honor
Flight, reach out to us.
We'd love to.
We like to go to differentareas so we don't want to go to
the same place every time.
So if anybody would ever liketo host us, we just need a space
to park a few cars and to havea room big enough for a couple
(09:47):
of hundred people on Friday andSunday.
But when we leave we usuallystop either at D-Day Memorial in
Bedford, virginia, on Friday orSunday.
We kind of alter our schedulesometimes, but they get to stop
at D-Day Memorial and truly seethe greatest generation and
learn something about theBedford boys and their sacrifice
and that community sacrifice.
(10:09):
And then on Saturday they doall of DC to include.
We start our day at ArlingtonCemetery.
We lay a wreath there typically, then we go on to each branch.
We go to the Marine CorpsMuseum or the Marine Corps
Memorial, we go to the NavyMemorial.
We go to World War II, vietnam,korea.
We do the Air Force, we doPentagon.
(10:30):
We also spend about an hour atthe Army Museum at Fort
Belvedere, so we are actuallyjust the whole day is all about
all those memorials erected totheir service and their
sacrifice, and so many peoplewill come up to them when they
see them in a shirt that saysthey're a veteran and thank them
for their service.
So it's just a community comingtogether, even in DC.
(10:52):
But then on Sunday, coming home, we typically stop at VMI
Virginia Military Institute andthey have lunch with the cadets
and that is so powerful becausethat's the next generation.
So they have lunch with thecadets and then we tour the
chapel and the museum as we makeour way back toward home.
And then we usually meet up atthe Tennessee Virginia Welcome
(11:13):
Center there and we have ourmotorcycle escort and we have
usually 50 to 75 motorcycleriders that escort those
veterans back home to make theirreturn extra special.
So throughout that Honor Flighttakes care of all their hotels,
their food, their shirt theywear on Saturday, their hat they
wear.
I joke and tell them that it'salmost like being back in the
(11:36):
service because we tell themwhat to wear, where to sleep,
what to eat and what time to beup and then we let them go to
bed at the end.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
So, that's.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
It's very much a fast paced weekend.
It's a hard weekend becauseit's a lot of ground to cover,
but it's so impactful and someaningful.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Absolutely.
And I find that you know someof these veterans that I'm
thinking how in the world arethey going to survive that trip?
But they do.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
They do, but they are really tired on Saturday night.
I will tell you, I think theysleep really good on Saturday,
but they're so excited andthey're so jolly about it, even
if we have rain and sometimes wedo even if we have rain,
they're troopers.
It's like that's not going toslow them down from experiencing
all there is to experience andto be there together.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Yeah, I remember when we were going with Darva
Steve's daddy to his on ourflight on send off, I was amazed
at the number of people alongthe way that had flags flying,
the motorcycles that were there,you know, to escort the bus out
, and then also just along theway where they stop and eat the
(12:44):
VFWs, the people who volunteerand bring food and feed the
veterans.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
I mean it takes a community and we are so grateful
here in Northeast Tennesseethat our community loves
veterans.
Very rarely do I ever get toldno when I have to ask for
something.
But if I ask for a policeescort, every police department
or sheriff's department is eagerto do that.
When we notify our friends thatride motorcycles, they are
always out there.
And then we always our board ofdirectors there's eight of us.
(13:14):
We couldn't do this without thecommunity support, without our
volunteers and without peoplejust stepping up and saying I
think I can go visit thosebusinesses and ask them to put a
flag out.
So it is all the community.
We're just kind of putting ittogether and making it all
happen.
But the community sure lovesveterans and I'm so glad to live
in a town like that.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
And you're part of something that is rallying
people together and it'spositive and it brings people
are willing to come together fora good cause and men and women
who have fought and served ournation, you know it's worth it,
it is.
It's worth it, and so thistakes money right it does so
(13:56):
let's talk about some of yourfundraisers and how people can
help Michelle.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
It does.
It costs us about $400 to takea veteran for the whole weekend,
which?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
is a deal.
It's a deal.
I mean, that's one heck of adeal.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
It is.
It's a great deal and it'sbecause we have our community
partners in Fairfax, virginia,that feed us dinner at no cost
to us and the bus company givesus a good price and we have so
many people that donate snacksand sodas and just all kinds of
great stuff.
But we do a lot of differentfundraisers a year.
We have our big fundraisercoming up in August is a dragon
(14:34):
boat.
We recreated dragon boat lastyear after it hadn't been in the
area a few years.
We had a great time and thisyear we're doing Dragon Boat
again in August.
But we do a golf tournament, acar show.
We do so many things to justcater to different individuals
that would want to do somethingto support Honor Flight Right
(14:55):
and make it personal to them.
Like people with old cars loveto bring those cars out and show
them off for veterans?
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Yes, so people can pay and come and see the car
show.
They can.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
And I will tell you, the best place to watch what
we're doing is our Facebook page.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
It is.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Honor Flight of the Appalachian Highlands.
Our website is honorflightahorg, but our website is hard to
maintain for us because we havenot found a person that will
volunteer to update it for us.
So if there's any volunteersout there with a little website
knowledge, we'd love you toconnect with Honor Flight,
because none of us have thatexperience or that knowledge.
(15:32):
So we are really great on ourFacebook posting all the things
we're doing and all the events.
All of those things are there.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Right, all the events , all of those things are there,
right, and you know, I findthat that's in a lot of
organizations it's hard to findthat person that has that
technology background and can,you know, get your information
out there in social media orupdate your website.
I mean, that's difficult tofind that.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
It is, and most of the people that have that
knowledge are working in thatfield, and so they don't want to
volunteer after work to do thesame thing they're getting paid
to do.
Plus, they're dealing with itall day long and nobody wants to
do their same thing at night.
So we've not hit on that nickyet.
We do have a website and itdoes have our applications for
veterans on there and that workssmooth and it's perfect.
(16:20):
We're just not really greatabout posting photos on our
website.
We are more so geared towardthe social media aspect.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Yeah Well, and people .
You know the social media.
That's where everybody gets alot of their information.
So are you on Instagram or isit just Facebook?
We are.
We're also on Instagram.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
So Instagram and Facebook, and then, anytime
anybody ever has a question, ourbest email address to use and
it's super easy to remember isgotodc at honorflightahorg Super
easy to remember.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Yes, that is, that's awesome.
So you also honor deceasedveterans because there are, and
I just I love that because youdo that on every single honor
flight.
So how many of the deceasedveterans do you all take on an
(17:10):
honor flight?
Speaker 3 (17:13):
We have what we call Memorial Mission and it is
honoring those veterans thathave passed before they had a
Memorial Mission.
Normally we do three to fourFour is about the max, because I
have one person that has thosepictures all weekend and every
stop we make that photo of theveteran is taken at that
memorial or that site and aswe're on the bus we tell the
(17:36):
veterans about the veterans thatare on memorial mission and it
is just the sweetest thing andit touches my heart is.
We will be maybe at the NavyMemorial and one of the Navy
veterans will say give me yourMemorial Mission photo.
I want to hold it and we'llgrab a photo of them holding
that there.
But those men and women thatare being honored really see it
(17:57):
as truly touching for them tohonor a brother that's passed
and the stories of thoseveterans.
This past mission that we justhad, we were honoring a veteran
whose brother died in Vietnam,so we found his name on the wall
and it was really powerful.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
That's very powerful.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
We would love.
Anybody that has a veteranthat's passed.
We would love to honor them.
We just need their photo and alittle information about it.
But we treat that photo withthe respect that it deserves and
they travel with us and they'resuch a part of our mission
because we're honoring them.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Do you need the military photo or just any photo
of them?
We would take any photo oreither one.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
A lot of people have a hard time finding that
military photo because they getlost or something like that.
So we'll take any kind of photo.
We just like to know a littlebit about that person, that
veteran, maybe where they servedor when they served and what
branch, so that we can make sureand share their story.
There's a saying that says youdie your first death when you
(18:57):
leave this earth, but as long asyour name is spoken, you don't
ever die a second death.
When your second death is whenyour name is not mentioned or
not remembered.
So we very much keep that inour mind, that we are honoring
those veterans and we're notforgetting them, that their name
is being said and that we arenot allowing them to be
(19:17):
forgotten.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
That's so important.
I know when we've been to theVA cemetery for the wreaths and
when we lay a wreath on thetombstone or the headstone of
the grave, we say that veteran'sname and salute.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
You do.
Yes, Always say their name.
Don't pass up that chance.
It's so important.
Yes, it's so important.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
I love that.
Well, you know it'll be October18th.
It'll be four years that my dadpassed away, and so I've got to
get you the information,because he served in the Korean
war, oh wow, and he is a purple,was a purple heart.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
We would love to take his photo.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
Yeah, and I do have a military photo of him because
with him Great, Because he wasactually when he went to Korea.
He lied about his age.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
He was only 17.
He was only 17.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
He went into the.
He was an army ranger.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
Wow, yeah, and imagine that you want to serve
your country that bad that youwould lie about your age.
Yeah, he did you know he wantedto, and what a legacy he's left
behind yeah, he did.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
He was laying, they were getting hit by mortar
rounds was all around.
He used to always tell me thisstory and he was the type of gun
that he carried.
He lay on the ground.
It was some big, huge gun.
I don't know what it was, but amortar round landed between his
legs and he prayed right thenand asked God.
(20:40):
He said if you'll get me homesafe.
He said I just want to getmarried, I just want to have a
family.
That's what I want.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
That's exactly what God did for him what God did for
him, and he spared his life andhe served him all of his life.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
He did, he really did .
So I just love your passion,michelle.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
And so when is the next Honor Flight coming up?
The next Honor Flight isMission 13.
We will have accomplished 13missions in a little less than
four years, and it leaves Junethe 6th on D-Day anniversary,
from Antioch Baptist Church inJohnson City.
Send-off will be at program at730, send-off at 8.
So we'll hit the road about 8o'clock and then we will return
Sunday at 5.
So June the 6th and the Junethe 8th at Antioch Baptist
(21:24):
Church, okay.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
And is that already full?
It is.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
We usually set our roster about 90 days ahead so
that they have time to maketravel plans and that kind of
thing.
So we have 21 local veterans.
We have three Korean Warveterans that are traveling with
us and the rest are Vietnamveterans.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Okay, well, that's awesome.
Well, we'll look forward toJune the 6th, on D-Day, and
that's in the morning.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Yes, that's when that leaves.
On Friday, 8 o'clock in themorning is when we'll depart and
I will be super excited to seethe reeds there.
I know you'll be theresupporting those men and women.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
Che those men and women?
Cheering them on Cheering themon.
So thank you, michelle, forwhat you're doing serving our
veterans and just loving andrespecting the great United
States of America.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
That's right.
We live in the greatest countryin the world.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
We should never take that for granted.
Yeah, that's right, thank you.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
This has been Benchmark Happenings, brought to
you by Jonathan Tipton andSteve Reed from Benchmark Home
Loans.
Jonathan and Steve areresidential mortgage lenders.
They do home loans in NortheastTennessee and they're not only
licensed in Tennessee butFlorida, georgia, south Carolina
and Virginia.
We hope you've enjoyed the show.
(22:38):
If you did make sure to likerate and review.
Our passion is NortheastTennessee, so if you have
questions about mortgages, callus at 423-491-5405.
And the website iswwwJonathanAndStevecom.
Thanks for being with us andwe'll see you next time on
(23:00):
Benchmark Happenings.
This is Benchmark Happenings, brought to you by
Jonathan and Steve fromBenchmark Home Loans.
Northeast Tennessee, johnsonCity, kingsport, bristol, the
Tri-Cities One of the mostbeautiful places in the country
to live.
Tons of great things to do andawesome local businesses.
(00:21):
And on this show you'll findout why people are dying to move
to Northeast Tennessee.
And on the way we'll havediscussions about mortgages and
we'll interview people in thereal estate industry.
It's what we do.
This is Benchmark Happenings,brought to you by Benchmark Home
Loans and now your host,christine Reed.
(00:42):
And now your host, christineReed.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Welcome back everybody to another episode of
Benchmark Happenings, and thestar of our show today is
Michelle Stewart.
Michelle, welcome, Thank you somuch for having me.
Christine, Absolutely.
And so, Michelle, what we'regoing to talk about today is the
volunteer work that you do forour area veterans with the Honor
(01:07):
Flight.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yes, ma'am, I am the president of Honor Flight of the
Appalachian Highlands, anorganization that's been founded
since September 2021.
And our whole goal is to honorveterans for their service and
their sacrifice and to take themto Washington DC to see the
memorials that were erected tohonor their service by a
grateful, thankful nation.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Oh, I tell you that is what you all are doing,
michelle.
You are touching lives.
I mean, if I think about it toomuch, I'll start crying,
because we had an experiencewith Honor Flight.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
You did and we had a wonderful experience with Mr
Reed.
I think he smiled the wholetime and he had such a good time
.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
He is quite the character, but he was so much
fun to be on that trip with andjust so jolly and so amazed that
people were taking their timeto honor him for his service and
his sacrifice and he deservedthat, yeah, he actually, I mean,
he starts crying when he talksabout it because it meant so
much to him and it was sowonderful that Steve, my husband
(02:16):
, steve, his son, could go withhim as his guardian.
And so I just think, honorFlight, you know, I'm so
thankful it's been established.
There's several venuesthroughout the country that men
and women are taking.
So, basically, the requirementsfor this, michelle, what are
(02:36):
they?
Speaker 3 (02:37):
We can take a veteran , whether they've served
stateside or in-country, orwhether they've just served in
the National Guard.
Those men and women took anoath to serve and protect.
So we will honor any veteranthat has served in any branch,
regardless of time.
The only thing is, right now weare only serving up through
Vietnam era or terminally illveterans.
(02:57):
The reason why is, I think, wedon't stop and realize how many
Vietnam veterans there were andhow many are on waiting lists to
go on an Honor Flight trip.
For example, here in theTri-Cities area we have about
110 Vietnam veterans waiting totravel and they've applied and
we're just getting to them.
Across the nation with allHonor Flight hubs, there's about
(03:20):
50,000 Vietnam veterans.
So that's why we've kind ofstopped at Vietnam veterans.
But we also want to taketerminally ill veterans from
other wars that may not get theopportunity to go.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Absolutely.
You know, and I think theveterans from Vietnam did not
get the welcome home that theydeserved.
I know that one of thegentlemen that's a friend of
ours that went.
He was a little just shy aboutgoing because of the experience
that he had, but you all changedhis life.
(03:53):
Awesome, I'm so glad to hearthat you did.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
We say on the bus coming home my last words to
them before we pull in is, onbehalf of a grateful nation and
the Honor Flight Board ofDirectors Welcome Home.
So we want to change that.
We want to give them thatwelcome home, because so many of
them were treated so poorly andthey were just doing what their
country asked them to do.
They didn't understand what theywere being sent to Vietnam for.
(04:16):
Most of them were so young,they probably didn't even know
where it was on the map, but yettheir country needed them and
their country sent them and theywent and did what they were
asked to do.
Yes, and how they were treatedwhen they come home was so
horrible and so horrific that ifwe can change it, then we
should be changing it, and if anhonor flight trip does it, it
makes my heart happy that we cando that.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
So, Michelle, what got you started doing this,
serving the area veterans?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
I have always served the community in some fashion.
I'm just a strong believer incommunity is home.
You should make your communitybetter.
But in August of 2021, I had ahigh school friend that sent me
a Facebook message and he wantedto talk to me about a project
and I kind of pushed him off fora few days because that's what
we women do.
We're just like, oh, I'm goingto ignore that.
Well, we've got enough.
Yeah, we've got enough on ourplate.
(05:07):
Yeah, we've got enough on ourplate.
What's he wanting from me?
I'm not interested.
But so he sent me a message andsaid would you call me?
I want to talk to you aboutsomething.
So I called him and he startedtelling me about the impact he
had with his dad on Honor FlightTrip.
They had been and it wasamazing, and he just wanted
other veterans to have thatopportunity and unfortunately
there was not a hub operatinghere in the Tri-Cities at that
(05:27):
time.
So he wanted to reestablishHonor Flight in our area.
So he's trying to find a coupleof people to help him.
So he asked me if I'd bewilling to do it and I said oh,
let me pray about it, let methink about it.
My dad's a Vietnam veteran andmy initial thought in my mind
was I'll get my dad to go andit'll be a great experience for
the two of us.
So I prayed about it and Ireally thought that was where
(05:49):
the Lord was sending me is toHonor Flight.
So I said yes and we had ourfirst board meeting and I was
elected president and I wasn'texpecting that.
But you know, I believe inwhere the Lord puts you.
You should serve.
So that's how that came about.
But Honor Flight for me is justa way to respect my dad's
service and my granddad's bothserved in World War II in the
(06:09):
Army.
Oh, my goodness, and then myhusband's 82nd Airborne, so he
is a veteran from 82nd Airborneand I'm just like it's what I
should do as a grateful Americanand I live in the greatest
country in the world we do, so Ishould be serving those who
served.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
And I love that, you know, I love the fact that you
love our country and I loveAmerica too.
I agree.
I think we do live in thegreatest country God has blessed
us to put us here.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
And it.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Just it really hurts my heart to hear people put down
our country and you knowthey're just been told so many
lies and just manipulated,believing that all the things
that we've done as a nation andwe've been one of the most
generous nations in the worldand the creation of the
education system, hospitals,orphanages, I mean so many
(06:59):
things that our country has done, and then, plus, our veterans
are amazing veterans, are menand women that have served for
our country has done.
And then, plus our veterans,our amazing veterans, our men
and women that have served forour country, and so I love your
passion and you're just adelight and I know that it's
your heart, you give from yourheart, michelle, and so it's
(07:20):
just, it's so refreshing to seethat.
So tell us about.
So what does an Honor Flightlook like?
I mean, what can someone expect?
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Someone that's going on an Honor Flight trip is a
veteran.
They can expect nothing to becared for all weekend they
expect to be honored and thattheir service matters and that
people want to hear their storyand listen to their story.
I think a lot of veterans thatgo on an honor flight trip or
they're like, hmm, our motto isa trip of a lifetime with honor
and many of them go.
(07:51):
I don't think you're going topull that off.
But then when we get back homeI have several of them go.
Oh my gosh, it was the trip ofa lifetime because they've not
only been honored for theirservice but they've been with
other people that have walked intheir bootsteps.
They have been with othergrateful, thankful Americans.
And then they're doing it witha guardian.
A lot of times veterans will goI don't need a guardian.
I'm like, no, you really do foran honor flight trip.
(08:13):
And I always make the joke I'mlike the reason why you need a
guardian is because I'm blondeand I could leave you, so your
guardian won't let you be leftbehind.
So I make the joke that way.
But you know, the guardian isthere to share and to listen and
to truly put that veteran first.
We tell guardians that they'regetting to serve a hero.
Yes, and that's truly what itis.
(08:34):
But we've built relationshipswith our veterans that you would
have never guessed.
Like they've made friends andthey get back together on a
flight, host a reunion once ayear.
So they all come back togetherto have the camaraderie.
And so it's amazing Like at oursend off for Mission 12 that we
just had a couple of weeks ago,there were veterans there for
(08:54):
Mission 11 and guardians andyour family was there?
Yes, absolutely, but there was awhen we came home Sunday there
was a veteran there from Mission1.
That was August of 22 or Aprilof 22.
I'm sorry, april, there he wassupporting other veterans and
just being there to welcome themhome.
So it's like you build an HonorFlight family in a community.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Yeah, like you said, it's a fantastic experience.
So they get on a bus and thenwhere are some of the stops?
What are some of the thingsthat they do along the way,
michelle?
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Sure, on Friday we leave somewhere in the
Tri-Cities usually a church andI'll put a selfless plug in that
.
If any church or organizationwould ever like to host Honor
Flight, reach out to us.
We'd love to.
We like to go to differentareas so we don't want to go to
the same place every time.
So if anybody would ever liketo host us, we just need a space
to park a few cars and to havea room big enough for a couple
(09:47):
of hundred people on Friday andSunday.
But when we leave we usuallystop either at D-Day Memorial in
Bedford, virginia, on Friday orSunday.
We kind of alter our schedulesometimes, but they get to stop
at D-Day Memorial and truly seethe greatest generation and
learn something about theBedford boys and their sacrifice
and that community sacrifice.
(10:09):
And then on Saturday they doall of DC to include.
We start our day at ArlingtonCemetery.
We lay a wreath there typically, then we go on to each branch.
We go to the Marine CorpsMuseum or the Marine Corps
Memorial, we go to the NavyMemorial.
We go to World War II, vietnam,korea.
We do the Air Force, we doPentagon.
(10:30):
We also spend about an hour atthe Army Museum at Fort
Belvedere, so we are actuallyjust the whole day is all about
all those memorials erected totheir service and their
sacrifice, and so many peoplewill come up to them when they
see them in a shirt that saysthey're a veteran and thank them
for their service.
So it's just a community comingtogether, even in DC.
(10:52):
But then on Sunday, coming home, we typically stop at VMI
Virginia Military Institute andthey have lunch with the cadets
and that is so powerful becausethat's the next generation.
So they have lunch with thecadets and then we tour the
chapel and the museum as we makeour way back toward home.
And then we usually meet up atthe Tennessee Virginia Welcome
(11:13):
Center there and we have ourmotorcycle escort and we have
usually 50 to 75 motorcycleriders that escort those
veterans back home to make theirreturn extra special.
So throughout that Honor Flighttakes care of all their hotels,
their food, their shirt theywear on Saturday, their hat they
wear.
I joke and tell them that it'salmost like being back in the
(11:36):
service because we tell themwhat to wear, where to sleep,
what to eat and what time to beup and then we let them go to
bed at the end.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
So, that's.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
It's very much a fast paced weekend.
It's a hard weekend becauseit's a lot of ground to cover,
but it's so impactful and someaningful.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Absolutely.
And I find that you know someof these veterans that I'm
thinking how in the world arethey going to survive that trip?
But they do.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
They do, but they are really tired on Saturday night.
I will tell you, I think theysleep really good on Saturday,
but they're so excited andthey're so jolly about it, even
if we have rain and sometimes wedo even if we have rain,
they're troopers.
It's like that's not going toslow them down from experiencing
all there is to experience andto be there together.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Yeah, I remember when we were going with Darva
Steve's daddy to his on ourflight on send off, I was amazed
at the number of people alongthe way that had flags flying,
the motorcycles that were there,you know, to escort the bus out
, and then also just along theway where they stop and eat the
(12:44):
VFWs, the people who volunteerand bring food and feed the
veterans.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
I mean it takes a community and we are so grateful
here in Northeast Tennesseethat our community loves
veterans.
Very rarely do I ever get toldno when I have to ask for
something.
But if I ask for a policeescort, every police department
or sheriff's department is eagerto do that.
When we notify our friends thatride motorcycles, they are
always out there.
And then we always our board ofdirectors there's eight of us.
(13:14):
We couldn't do this without thecommunity support, without our
volunteers and without peoplejust stepping up and saying I
think I can go visit thosebusinesses and ask them to put a
flag out.
So it is all the community.
We're just kind of putting ittogether and making it all
happen.
But the community sure lovesveterans and I'm so glad to live
in a town like that.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
And you're part of something that is rallying
people together and it'spositive and it brings people
are willing to come together fora good cause and men and women
who have fought and served ournation, you know it's worth it,
it is.
It's worth it, and so thistakes money right it does so
(13:56):
let's talk about some of yourfundraisers and how people can
help Michelle.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
It does.
It costs us about $400 to takea veteran for the whole weekend,
which?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
is a deal.
It's a deal.
I mean, that's one heck of adeal.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
It is.
It's a great deal and it'sbecause we have our community
partners in Fairfax, virginia,that feed us dinner at no cost
to us and the bus company givesus a good price and we have so
many people that donate snacksand sodas and just all kinds of
great stuff.
But we do a lot of differentfundraisers a year.
We have our big fundraisercoming up in August is a dragon
(14:34):
boat.
We recreated dragon boat lastyear after it hadn't been in the
area a few years.
We had a great time and thisyear we're doing Dragon Boat
again in August.
But we do a golf tournament, acar show.
We do so many things to justcater to different individuals
that would want to do somethingto support Honor Flight Right
(14:55):
and make it personal to them.
Like people with old cars loveto bring those cars out and show
them off for veterans?
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Yes, so people can pay and come and see the car
show.
They can.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
And I will tell you, the best place to watch what
we're doing is our Facebook page.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
It is.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Honor Flight of the Appalachian Highlands.
Our website is honorflightahorg, but our website is hard to
maintain for us because we havenot found a person that will
volunteer to update it for us.
So if there's any volunteersout there with a little website
knowledge, we'd love you toconnect with Honor Flight,
because none of us have thatexperience or that knowledge.
(15:32):
So we are really great on ourFacebook posting all the things
we're doing and all the events.
All of those things are there.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Right, all the events , all of those things are there,
right, and you know, I findthat that's in a lot of
organizations it's hard to findthat person that has that
technology background and can,you know, get your information
out there in social media orupdate your website.
I mean, that's difficult tofind that.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
It is, and most of the people that have that
knowledge are working in thatfield, and so they don't want to
volunteer after work to do thesame thing they're getting paid
to do.
Plus, they're dealing with itall day long and nobody wants to
do their same thing at night.
So we've not hit on that nickyet.
We do have a website and itdoes have our applications for
veterans on there and that workssmooth and it's perfect.
(16:20):
We're just not really greatabout posting photos on our
website.
We are more so geared towardthe social media aspect.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Yeah Well, and people .
You know the social media.
That's where everybody gets alot of their information.
So are you on Instagram or isit just Facebook?
We are.
We're also on Instagram.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
So Instagram and Facebook, and then, anytime
anybody ever has a question, ourbest email address to use and
it's super easy to remember isgotodc at honorflightahorg Super
easy to remember.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Yes, that is, that's awesome.
So you also honor deceasedveterans because there are, and
I just I love that because youdo that on every single honor
flight.
So how many of the deceasedveterans do you all take on an
(17:10):
honor flight?
Speaker 3 (17:13):
We have what we call Memorial Mission and it is
honoring those veterans thathave passed before they had a
Memorial Mission.
Normally we do three to fourFour is about the max, because I
have one person that has thosepictures all weekend and every
stop we make that photo of theveteran is taken at that
memorial or that site and aswe're on the bus we tell the
(17:36):
veterans about the veterans thatare on memorial mission and it
is just the sweetest thing andit touches my heart is.
We will be maybe at the NavyMemorial and one of the Navy
veterans will say give me yourMemorial Mission photo.
I want to hold it and we'llgrab a photo of them holding
that there.
But those men and women thatare being honored really see it
(17:57):
as truly touching for them tohonor a brother that's passed
and the stories of thoseveterans.
This past mission that we justhad, we were honoring a veteran
whose brother died in Vietnam,so we found his name on the wall
and it was really powerful.
Speaker 2 (18:14):
That's very powerful.
Speaker 3 (18:15):
We would love.
Anybody that has a veteranthat's passed.
We would love to honor them.
We just need their photo and alittle information about it.
But we treat that photo withthe respect that it deserves and
they travel with us and they'resuch a part of our mission
because we're honoring them.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Do you need the military photo or just any photo
of them?
We would take any photo oreither one.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
A lot of people have a hard time finding that
military photo because they getlost or something like that.
So we'll take any kind of photo.
We just like to know a littlebit about that person, that
veteran, maybe where they servedor when they served and what
branch, so that we can make sureand share their story.
There's a saying that says youdie your first death when you
(18:57):
leave this earth, but as long asyour name is spoken, you don't
ever die a second death.
When your second death is whenyour name is not mentioned or
not remembered.
So we very much keep that inour mind, that we are honoring
those veterans and we're notforgetting them, that their name
is being said and that we arenot allowing them to be
(19:17):
forgotten.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
That's so important.
I know when we've been to theVA cemetery for the wreaths and
when we lay a wreath on thetombstone or the headstone of
the grave, we say that veteran'sname and salute.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
You do.
Yes, Always say their name.
Don't pass up that chance.
It's so important.
Yes, it's so important.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
I love that.
Well, you know it'll be October18th.
It'll be four years that my dadpassed away, and so I've got to
get you the information,because he served in the Korean
war, oh wow, and he is a purple,was a purple heart.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
We would love to take his photo.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
Yeah, and I do have a military photo of him because
with him Great, Because he wasactually when he went to Korea.
He lied about his age.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
He was only 17.
He was only 17.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
He went into the.
He was an army ranger.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
Wow, yeah, and imagine that you want to serve
your country that bad that youwould lie about your age.
Yeah, he did you know he wantedto, and what a legacy he's left
behind yeah, he did.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
He was laying, they were getting hit by mortar
rounds was all around.
He used to always tell me thisstory and he was the type of gun
that he carried.
He lay on the ground.
It was some big, huge gun.
I don't know what it was, but amortar round landed between his
legs and he prayed right thenand asked God.
(20:40):
He said if you'll get me homesafe.
He said I just want to getmarried, I just want to have a
family.
That's what I want.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
That's exactly what God did for him what God did for
him, and he spared his life andhe served him all of his life.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
He did, he really did .
So I just love your passion,michelle.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
And so when is the next Honor Flight coming up?
The next Honor Flight isMission 13.
We will have accomplished 13missions in a little less than
four years, and it leaves Junethe 6th on D-Day anniversary,
from Antioch Baptist Church inJohnson City.
Send-off will be at program at730, send-off at 8.
So we'll hit the road about 8o'clock and then we will return
Sunday at 5.
So June the 6th and the Junethe 8th at Antioch Baptist
(21:24):
Church, okay.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
And is that already full?
It is.
Speaker 3 (21:29):
We usually set our roster about 90 days ahead so
that they have time to maketravel plans and that kind of
thing.
So we have 21 local veterans.
We have three Korean Warveterans that are traveling with
us and the rest are Vietnamveterans.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Okay, well, that's awesome.
Well, we'll look forward toJune the 6th, on D-Day, and
that's in the morning.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Yes, that's when that leaves.
On Friday, 8 o'clock in themorning is when we'll depart and
I will be super excited to seethe reeds there.
I know you'll be theresupporting those men and women.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
Che those men and women?
Cheering them on Cheering themon.
So thank you, michelle, forwhat you're doing serving our
veterans and just loving andrespecting the great United
States of America.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
That's right.
We live in the greatest countryin the world.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
We should never take that for granted.
Yeah, that's right, thank you.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
This has been Benchmark Happenings, brought to
you by Jonathan Tipton andSteve Reed from Benchmark Home
Loans.
Jonathan and Steve areresidential mortgage lenders.
They do home loans in NortheastTennessee and they're not only
licensed in Tennessee butFlorida, georgia, south Carolina
and Virginia.
We hope you've enjoyed the show.
(22:38):
If you did make sure to likerate and review.
Our passion is NortheastTennessee, so if you have
questions about mortgages, callus at 423-491-5405.
And the website iswwwJonathanAndStevecom.
Thanks for being with us andwe'll see you next time on
(23:00):
Benchmark Happenings.
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