FLORIDA – Dozens of Southwest Florida veterans will travel to Washington, D.C., on Saturday for an Honor Flight mission before returning home to a public welcome at Southwest Florida International Airport.
Collier-Lee Honor Flight is scheduled to conduct Mission 30 on October 10, giving local veterans the opportunity to visit memorials in the nation’s capital dedicated to their military service.
WINK News reported that 83 veterans are expected to participate in the trip. The official Honor Flight DCA schedule lists 85 veterans traveling with the Collier-Lee group from Naples and Marco Island.
The flight is scheduled to arrive at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at about 8 a.m. Saturday. The group will use four buses while visiting Washington before returning to the airport later in the day.
Honor Flight missions typically include stops at military memorials and other sites honoring veterans. Collier-Lee Honor Flight provides the trip at no cost to participating veterans. Guardians accompany veterans throughout the journey to assist them during the day.
The nonprofit prioritizes World War II, Korean War, Cold War and Vietnam War veterans, along with veterans facing terminal illnesses. The organization operates through volunteers and private donations and does not receive government funding.
After completing the Washington visit, the group is scheduled to depart Reagan National Airport around 6 p.m.
A homecoming event is planned Saturday evening at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers. Community members are encouraged to attend and welcome the veterans as they return.
The October 10 trip is Collier-Lee Honor Flight’s 30th mission. The organization has been transporting Southwest Florida veterans to Washington since its first flight in 2013.