No. At the present time, we have over 8,000 World War II veterans on our national waiting list and thousands more who will apply this year. It is doubtful that we will get to every deserving veteran in time. Over 250 World War II veterans have passed away while patiently waiting their turn. Hundreds more will not live long enough to visit their precious memorial. Imagine how long the waiting list would be if we added non-veteran spouses to our waiting list. The only spouses who are permitted to go are those who are veterans themselves.

Sadly, the answer is "no." Again, we simply do not have the resources, funding, or seating available to transport all the World War II veterans who are presently on our national waiting list. Adding spouses and widows simply isn't an option for our program at this time.

The flight is FREE for World War II and terminally ill veterans. Guardians pay $500 for the flight. Veterans and guardians to do not need to bring any money unless they wish to purchase souvenirs.

Only under certain limited circumstances. Our TOP priority is the safe travel of ALL the veterans. A normal ratio is 8 veterans to 3 guardians. Who will or will not serve as a guardian, and how many guardians will be needed, is the sole responsibility of the Program Director. That decision is based upon many factors, such as:

• How many disabled veterans are scheduled to go?
• Of the disabled veterans going, how many will have to be physically assisted getting on and off the bus?
• Which guardian applicants are most qualified?

Medically trained, active duty military personnel and veterans who have previously participated in a flight are given top priority and serve as leadership members. The applicants physically capable of assisting in the lifting of World War II veterans are also a top priority. Once the board feels enough of those positions have been filled, other applicants are then considered. Again, these decisions rest solely with the board.

Badger Honor Flight gratefully accepts donations from anyone EXCEPT World War II veterans. We feel that World War II veterans have given enough. This is our way of saying thank you. Donation information can be found here.

Veterans are flown on a first-come, first-served basis. Within the applicants, top priority is currently given to World War II veterans and terminally ill veterans of other conflicts. Our second priority is to Korean War veterans and then to Vietnam War veterans.

If a program does not exist in your part of the country, TURN IN AN APPLICATION ANYWAY. Once the application has been received, you will be invited to participate on a flight in your general region of the country. You will be responsible for obtaining travel to and from that region.

For example: you live in Minneapolis Minnesota. Once a seat becomes available for you on a flight out of Fargo, North Dakota, you would be responsible for getting to and from Fargo. Once there, Honor Flight Network would cover the cost of the trip from Fargo to Washington, D.C. and back again. If you have been on our national waiting list for over six months, you will be eligible to participate in the Lone Eagles program.

There are now 79 regional hubs in 34 out of the 50 states, and new hubs are opening up fast!

All other circumstances the same, you should send to the hub nearest to you. More information can be found on this page: Which hub should I send my application to

Sadly, despite our best attempts at fundraising, Honor Flight Network receives no national government sponsorship. Our funding comes primarily from individuals across the country who recognize the great accomplishments and sacrifices of veterans and want them to see their memorials before it's too late. Other significant contributors have been fraternal organizations like local American Legion, VFW, AMVETS, DAV, and MOPH posts and chapters, as well as various corporations on a local level.

WHEELCHAIRS -- About 30% of the veterans we have transported over the past three years were in wheelchairs. Our deluxe motor coaches are ordered based upon this fact. Many of our coaches are equipped with wheelchair lifts. If there is a possibility that a veteran may need a wheelchair during one of our trips, we ask that the veteran bring their own.

If a wheelchair is not available, you can usually sign one out from your local fraternal organization (VFW, American Legion, AMVETS, DAV, etc). If this still is not an option, please contact our offices at (608) 835-8604.

OXYGEN -- If the veteran requires oxygen, a prescription for the oxygen must be provided by the veteran's healthcare provider, identifying the delivery method (mask or nasal cannula), frequency (as needed or continuously), and the rate of delivery (2-3 liters per minute). Honor Flight Network will provide an FAA-approved oxygen concentrator for use during the trip if local oxygen equipment is not available. We also provide oxygen cylinders to be used at the memorials. If an overnight stay in the D.C. area is required, we will provide an overnight concentrator for use in the hotel room. Veterans on oxygen are required to have oxygen cylinders available from their home to the departure airport and also on the return from their local airport back to their homes. No oxygen cylinders are permitted to be used on the aircraft. If the veteran requires oxygen during the trip, please call us at (608) 835-8604 to discuss arrangements.

Between 6 and 8 weeks before a flight, someone will call and find out if your still interested and ask you some questions about if your still eligible/able to go. Within the next week, you will receive some paperwork in the mail that needs to be returned ASAP.

Each flight is different, but generally, 2 weeks before the flight, there will be a guardian training session, then a veteran orientation where the veterans and their family will be able to meet the person who will escort them throughout the trip.

On flight day, flights leave at approximately 6:30am. We will ask vets to arrive around 5am so they can get screened by TSA and all their information (nametags, boarding passes, etc). We then fly into Dulles airport in Washington, DC. After that, it all depends on the weather and other things going on in the area. We will visit the WWII memorial, and the other memorials as time permits. Meals and water will be provided. Flights usually arrive back in Madison around 10:30pm. There, friends and family are encouraged to be waiting for the vets.

YES! Such veterans go to the top of the list for the next flight departing to Washington D.C. as part of our "Their Last Chance" (TLC) Program, organized by the national Honor Flight Network. Not only are World War II veterans given this top priority, but any terminally ill veteran who has never been able to visit his or her memorial is given the same priority under our TLC Program.

For more information on the national TLC program, please visit the Honor Flight Network web site at http://www.honorflight.org/programs/tlc.cfm or contact Mr. James McLaughlin, Honor Flight Chairman of the Board, at (614) 237-3086 or (614) 558-6220 or e-mail him at eagle@honorflight.org.