[SS427]

If anyone really wants to be overwhelmed while seeing these sites, volunteer for the Honor Flight and be a Guardian for a military Vet. You visit all of the war memorials in DC as well as the Pentagon, the Arlington National Cemetery, a museum and other sites but the most humbling part was spending a full day with WWII, Korean or Vietnam Vets. The stories alone will leave you speechless. We arrived at Reagan International to a pair of fire trucks spraying the airliner with water as we arrived followed by the ENTIRE airport stopping what they were doing as the Vets disembarked from the airplane and were met with flowers, hugs, handshakes and applause until all the Vets reached the bus which took over 10 minutes. If that alone did not make you shed a tear for these men and women, nothing will.

Then to arrive back at the airport at 1:30 in the morning to a crowd of many hundreds of people cheering, crying, hugging and waving flags is something I will never forget nor will those veterans. In the case of the vet I was a guardian for, it was the first time I had seen him smile let alone tear up in a VERY long time. A must do for anyone who cares for these men and women.