Twelve Veterans from Belleville went on the Badger Honor Flight on Tuesday, October 11, 2022. Their day started early, meeting at the Dane County Airport at 4:30 a.m. From there, they flew to Washington, D.C.

While in the nation's capital, they visited the Arlington National Cemetery and watched the changing of the guard. Then on to the Marine Corps Memorial - Iwo Jima, the Vietnam War Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, and the WWII Memorial, and then they finished the day at the Pentagon 9/11 memorial.

On plane ride home, the Veterans had mail call and received many letters from loved ones at home. Around 9:00 p.m., their plane landed at the Dane County Airport, where they were met with a huge welcome home with a band playing patriotic tunes, hundreds and hundreds of people cheering them on when they came down the escalator and walked through the crowd. (Much different than the reception when they came home from war).

Badger Honor Flight has been flying Veterans to Washington, D.C., since 2010, as part of the national Honor Flight Network. BHF provides all amenities to the Veterans, which includes transportation, a jacket, a hat, a shirt and meals. The only money that Veterans need to contribute is if they want to buy a souvenir.

For more information about Badger Honor Flight, including information on how to donate and to download an application for a Veteran to participate, please visit https://badgerhonorflight.org.