The Veterans Honor Flight is today. Organizers are urging attendance at the welcome home party.

Oct. 1--MARION -- Veterans have always been important to Kristin Atchison, director of perioperative services at Heartland Regional Medical Center.

Both of her grandfathers were World War II veterans. She said one talked about his experiences, while the other did not.

"Anytime I have the opportunity to give back to veterans, I try to," Atchison said.

When she got the opportunity to serve as a medic on an honor flight from Marion, it was an easy decision.

She explained that most veterans on the flights are older and not in the best of health. Medical staff accompany each honor flight to make sure the veterans are well and safe throughout the trip.

"Our flight was on a warmer day, so we were concerned about hydration and them becoming exhausted. We were prepared for any kind of first aid," Atchison said. "One veteran fell and had a small cut. There were no big issues."

Each veteran is required to complete a medical evaluation a couple weeks before the flight. The evaluation includes their general health history, normal level of activity, medications and need for assistive devices. Veterans are asked to bring two days of medication in case the trip home is delayed.

"Medical evaluations are not to prevent anyone from going, but to help the staff and volunteers be prepared," Atchison said.

Atchison watches flights she is not on through streaming video and posts on social media.

"It is so rewarding to get to be there and experience that trip with our veterans," she said.

Honor flight nurses were joined for an event Monday morning by Bryan Questelle, chairman of Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois board, Veteran Leonard Russell and Welcome Home Committee members Tracey Glenn and Amanda Throgmorton, who talked about the importance of welcoming the veterans on the honor flight as they return home.

For Questelle, the reasons to provide veterans an opportunity to see the memorials created in their honor are clear. "We get to be who we are because of what they did," Questelle said.

Questelle gave the schedule for the next honor flight, which is today -- Tuesday, Oct. 1. Veterans and guardians will arrive at the airport at about 4:15 a.m., with take-off about 5:45 a.m. Flight 6 will include 87 veterans and their guardians, plus honor flight staff, volunteers and media. The flight is expected to return to Marion at 8:30 p.m. The welcome home event will start at 5 p.m.

"We are trying to get everyone here for the welcome," Questelle said.

Each flight involves a different group of veterans, different guardians and even some different volunteers. The goal of the honor flight board and welcome committee is to make sure the welcome is in the same intensity as the first flight.

"We don't want to diminish the welcome home event. We want to make sure it feels the same as the first few flights," Questelle said.

Leonard Russell of Marion encourages any veteran interested in find out more about honor flight.

He said his guardian was a 26-year-old with a doctorate in physical therapy. They met three times before the flight. He also knew several veterans and other guardians on the flight.

"I was surprised at how well-organized it was and how smoothly it went, especially with 86 veterans and 86 wheelchairs," Russell said.

One of the memorials they visit is the Vietnam Wall. Volunteers were on hand to help veterans find the names of family and friends who died in the Vietnam War. One of the names on the wall is that of Russell's brother. A volunteer helped him do a tracing of his brother's name.

Throgmorton and Glenn echoed Questelle's call for people to come to Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois Tuesday evening to welcome Honor Flight 6.

Offsite parking will be available at Community of Faith Church on Illinois 148 and Cornerstone Community Church, next to Sam's Club in Marion. For rides, Mass Transit District will provide transportation to and from the parking areas.

Several food trucks have made a donation to Veterans Honor Flight of Southern Illinois to participate in the event. They include: Deep South, Burger Shack, Easy Street, and Winston's Bagels. Music will be provided by the Tucker Kuhnert Band at 6 p.m. and Joy Singers of First Baptist Church at 7:15 p.m. The veterans are expected to land at 8:10 p.m.

"We want people to come and show their support to the veterans. They all deserve a welcome," Throgmorton said.

"Even if people have been to all five welcome events, we want them to come to number six," Glenn added.

marilyn.halstead@thesouthern.com

618-351-5078

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