GREETER OPPORTUNITIES
We appreciate your desire to come greet our heroes at one of the three DC-area airports, their DC Memorials or DC-area hotels! With over 350 Honor Flight trips each year, there is an opportunity for everyone.
Here are some of the ways you can help (each box will be hyperlinked to the applicable section on this page):
Greeting at a DC-area Airport
One fulfilling opportunity is to have greeters at the airport when the Honor Flight arrives at one of the three DC-area airports (BWI, DCA or IAD). Many of us assume that our veterans had a warm welcome when they arrived home from the battle front. That may have been the case for returning GIs from World War II. It certainly was not the case for Vietnam veterans. Many have told us that they didn’t receive ANY welcome home and thus thought that they have been forgotten and were not appreciated.
After a fulfilling and tiring day, greeting the Veterans as they come back to the airport is also appreciated and rewarding.
Greeters’ basic role is to meet, greet, and thank our Veterans. The more smiling faces in the crowd to let them know — WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN YOUR SACRIFICE — the better! The time commitment for a greeting can vary from 2-4 hours; as some days there are multiple flights arriving during the same time period. Greeters are asked to wear patriotic clothing, and are welcome to bring banners, flags, and smiles. For more specific information on greeting at one of the area airports, including the schedule of hubs arriving at that airport, please visit each airport’s link below. (NOTE: – these links are not the same as the ones linked to the big airport boxes on the home page – these links go directly to the schedule at each airport).
Greeting Opportunities at Memorials
WWII Memorial – even though many hubs now fly Vietnam Veterans, most hubs will stop at the WWII Memorial, the “Jewel of the Mall.” Greeting hubs as they disembark from their buses at the bus parking area and walk through the Pacific Arch into the Memorial is a rewarding experience. The more smiling faces in the crowd to let them know — WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN YOUR SACRIFICE — the better! On “Super Saturdays,” there may be as many as 15 hubs arriving at the WWII Memorial at different times during the day.
To greet at the WWII Memorial, just show up at times convenient for you! Bring flags, banners, and your smiles and stay as long as you can. To see the schedule of visits by hubs to the WWII Memorial on our SCHEDULE page. Please keep in mind the times listed for visiting the WWII Memorial are provided by the hubs, and may change on trip day due to unforeseen schedule changes.
The best way to get to the WWII Memorial is metro or public transportation. Parking at the WWII Memorial is limited.
Korean/Vietnam Memorials – hubs will visit these two Memorials in the same stop, and Veterans can visit each at their leisure during time frames provided. Hubs will be directed to park in various places, so the best place to greet these Veterans is at the Memorials rather than where the buses park. The more smiling faces in the crowd to let them know — WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN YOUR SACRIFICE — the better!
To greet at the Korean or Vietnam Memorials, just show up at times convenient for you! Bring flags, banners, and your smiles and stay as long as you can. To see the schedule of visits by hubs to the WWII Memorial on our SCHEDULE page. Please keep in mind the times listed for visiting these Memorials are provided by the hubs, and may change on trip day due to unforeseen schedule changes.
The best way to get to the Korean and Vietnam Memorials is metro or public transportation. Street parking around these two Memorials is limited.
Hotel Greetings Opportunities
Want to spend more quality time visiting with our Veterans than when they are rushing through the airports? Consider greeting and assisting a hub as they arrive at their hotel for the evening.
Some hubs spend one or two nights at a hotel in the DC area while on their trips, and welcome greeters and helpers as they settle in for the evening. Click here for upcoming hotel greeting opportunities.
Greeting Opportunities for Groups
There are numerous ways that groups, including corporations, non-profits, school groups, civic groups, etc. can volunteer with Honor Flights.
Adopt-an-Honor-Flight – spend the day, or part of your corporate community service day, serving Veterans! Adopt-an-Honor-Flight day is customized so that multiple employees can serve at different times / locations throughout the day. Co-branding of the Honor Flight logo can be arranged for your t-shirts for this service opportunity. For more information on Adopt-an-Honor-Flight day.
Greeting at the airport – Veterans love groups attending the arrival or departure at the airports! The Veterans especially love to see our youth groups when they first step off the plane. Bus parking can be accommodated. To find a date, location and time that works for your group, please see the schedule on our homepage.
Greeting at the Memorials – bringing a group to greet at the WWII Memorial is easy! Just show up! The schedule of hubs’ visits to the WWII Memorial is listed on our main website. The best way to get to the WWII Memorial is by metro or public transportation.
Greeting at local hotel – some hubs spend one or two nights while on their Honor Flight trip. Occasionally, there are opportunities for groups to meet and greet a hub as they arrive at their hotel. Some hubs appreciate assistance unloading luggage, transporting it to the Veterans’ rooms and in some cases, help serve a meal. Most hotels are in close vicinity to one of the three area airports. If your group might be interested in this opportunity, please check out hotel greetings.
Certifying Greeter Hours
An Honor Flight Airport Ground Crew member is happy to certify your hours for work, school, or religious credits for attending an Honor Flight greeting at the airport. Please bring your pre-printed form with you to the greeting and ask either the lead ground crew volunteer at the greeting or someone wearing a bright yellow Honor Flight t-shirt to certify your form for volunteer hours. You may also download and print this template. We cannot verify volunteer hours after the event.
Some schools or community groups use an online platform to certify hours. If your group uses one of these platforms to certify hours after the event, please contact the applicable Honor Flight Ground Crew Coordinator prior to the date you will be attending. PLEASE NOTE: We are not able to certify volunteer hours via the online platform more than 30 days after an Honor Flight event. Online request sent to any other email will be rejected.
BWI – bwicoordinator@honorflight.org
DCA – dcacoordinator@honorflight.org
IAD – iadcoordinator@honorflight.org
