Rocky Mountain Honor Flights: Honoring Our Veterans

Group photo in front of Iwo Jima memorial.

May 26th, 2025 [Gillette, WY] – Imagine being a healthcare professional preparing for a day’s work, only today, you're not heading to the clinic or hospital. You pack up your gauze and dressing materials, some rubber tubing (which you’ll use as a tourniquet if necessary), and ampules of morphine. Over your uniform, you slip on a flak jacket and discreetly tuck a sidearm into your vest.

This was a typical day for Rick, a 21-year-old Navy corpsman accompanying a Marine patrol during the Vietnam War in 1967.

In Vietnam 1.

“Not all missions were search and destroy,” Rick recounted, as he recalled going into villages to care for children and elderly women. He cleaned wounds, drained abscesses, and extracted aching teeth. Proudly, he recounted distributing candy, lots of it. His compassion earned the trust of villagers, who would often share critical information, such as the locations of booby traps and enemy soldiers.

I recently had the privilege of speaking with Rick during a trip with the Rocky Mountain Honor Flight.

What Is Rocky Mountain Honor Flight?

The Rocky Mountain Honor Flight is part of a national program established in 2005 to transport World War II veterans to see the memorial in Washington, D.C. As WWII veterans aged, the program evolved to include those who served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

The Rocky Mountain chapter hosts four trips annually, with each journey departing from Denver and accommodating around 30 veterans. Veterans travel at no cost, accompanied by volunteer “guardians” who cover their own expenses to assist with wheelchairs, hydration, and general well-being. Over two days, veterans visit memorials dedicated to World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and more, with moments of solemnity at Arlington National Cemetery and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

In Vietnam 2.

A Veteran’s Journey

As the trip physician, I also took on the role of guardian, assisting veterans with wheelchairs, providing water, and ensuring their comfort at each stop. Over two days, we visited significant memorials, including WWII, Vietnam, Korea, Lincoln, Lone Sailor, Iwo Jima, and the Air Force Memorial. We spent Saturday morning at Arlington National Cemetery, witnessing the changing of the guard. “I am grateful to Hoskinson Health and Wellness clinic for endorsing my travels,” Rick expressed.

I also spoke with Bruce, a Vietnam veteran from Wyoming. He described himself as an “unruly” teenager, living in a small town in Wyoming. Following an encounter with the law, he was given the option of prison or joining the Army. He chose the Army. At age 17, Bruce was assigned to an orphan group of soldiers, a small team of eight, assigned tasks too dangerous or risky for other Army squads. “You wouldn’t want to see the things I’ve seen,” he said to me, reflecting on the weight of his experiences.

At the hotel Friday evening, after visiting the memorials, I asked Bruce how his day had been. He mentioned how several of the veterans were obtaining “rubbings” of names from the Wall.

The 500-foot wall lists the names of 58,318 Americans who died in the war. But Bruce wasn’t able to find the names of his comrades because he’d never learned their last names. Their missions had been so dangerous, they got to know each other only by first name.

Veterans reading "Mail Call" letters on the flight home.

Bruce shared how, upon returning to Wyoming, he’d had severe difficulties readjusting to life. Of the five young men from his area who went to Vietnam, he was the only one to return home. The war left deep scars, both seen and unseen, and this trip offered him his first steps towards closure and healing.

Honoring Service and Sacrifice

If you know a veteran of Vietnam or Korea, consider asking if they’d like to participate in an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC, to see their memorials.

The Rocky Mountain Honor Flight ensures these journeys will continue well into the future, giving veterans the recognition and closure they deserve. For more information, visit Rocky Mountain Honor Flight.

Several veterans helping with a wreath laying at Arlington National Cemetery.

Every veteran has a story, and programs like these ensure those stories are heard, honored, and remembered.