8 SHIFTS Remaining...Rick's
ReFlections of his 32 years career in the Fire
Service...
Firefighters are called ‘public servants’. As such we serve
not only ‘the public’, but also other ‘public servants’. For us that is never
more greatly shown as with the funeral of a fallen brother or sister
firefighter…or through what is called ‘Honor Flights’…or for a ‘Fallen
Soldier’.
Honor Flights is a program that was conceived by Earl Morse,
physician assistant and Retired Air Force Captain. Earl wanted to honor the
veterans he had taken care of for the past 27 years by creating a way to send
them to see the WWII Memorial that was completed in May of 2004 in Washington
D.C. In December of 2004, Earl asked one of his World War II veteran patients
if it would be all right if Earl personally flew him out to D.C., free of
charge, to visit his memorial. His patient, Mr. Loy broke down and cried. He
told Earl that at his age he would probably never get to see his memorial otherwise
and graciously accepted the offer.
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| WW II Vets visiting 'their' Memorial in DC |
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| PAF&R welcome WW II Vets home from DC trip |
Since their first year in 2005 when they transported 137
veterans to see their memorial the Honor Flight Network now along with
Southwest Airlines sends nearly 20,000 veterans per year…free of charge. Wow!
Our part at PAF&R…to meet the Honor Flights as they
return from their D.C. trip…A very simple way to honor and salute these men and
women. And salute we do! As they walk past I envision them in their youth
strong, determine, convicted of giving their all for this great country and the
freedoms that it so represents.
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