Veteran and Guardian Applications
If you, a loved one or a friend served in military uniform from World War II to present, you are eligible to participate for a FREE trip to Washington D.C. to see the memorials built to honor the sacrifices you made and to the many whom were lost protecting our right to freedom.
SPOUSES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO BE GUARDIANS AT THIS TIME.
A GUARDIAN MUST BE SOMEONE A GENERATION YOUNGER THAN THE VETERAN.
VETERAN ONLINE APPLICATION GUARDIAN ONLINE APPLICATION
If you were awarded a Purple Heart, Silver Star or other distinguished service award, please let us know in the additional comments section of your veteran application.
Veteran applications are taking in the order they are submitted, the order of war/conflict they served and medical situations such as being terminal. Example: A Vietnam Veteran or later could submit an application and they would be entered into our database, however as Korean, Cold War or World War II applications continue to come in, they will be placed ahead based on their war/conflict time frame. Veterans of Vietnam and later should consider applying now and getting into our database, however it could be several years before your turn arrives. We ask for your patience and understanding.
Honor Flight Northeast Indiana provides four (4) flights each year. Two (2) in the spring and two (2) in the fall. We take applications all year long and add our veterans to our waiting list database.
Your application is entered into our database based primarily on the date it was received and then based on the dates you served. Example: If you are a Vietnam veteran submitting your application and we would receive Korea or Cold war era veteran applications, they would go into the system before you based on the timeframe when they served.
If you or your veteran should have health condition that deteriorates and would require a doctors determination of terminal or similar status, please contact our offices immediately to update your status.
IF YOU PREFER A PRINTABLE PAPER APPLICATION TO BE US MAILED TO US, THOSE LINKS ARE DOWN BELOW.
We have veterans as well as family members of veterans wanting to verify service dates. These are the official service dates that we use as published by the D.O.D. and other government sources.
Veteran Service Dates
World War II (12/7/1941 - 12/31/1946)
Post World War II (1/1/1947 - 6/26/1950)
The Korean War (6/27/1950 - 1/31/1955)
Cold War (1/31/1955 - 2/27/1961)
Vietnam (2/28/1961 - 5/7/1975)
Lebanon/Grenada (8/24/1982 - 7/31/1984)
Panama (12/20/1989 - 1/31/1990)
Desert Shield/Desert Storm
Iraqi Freedom
Afghanistan
Inherent Resolve
DOWNLOAD PAPER VETERAN APPLICATION - This is a PDF version that can be printed, manually filled out and mailed or scanned to us.
Guardian Applications
Guardians are individuals who accompany a Veteran on their trip to Washington D.C. for the day. Typically a guardian is a family member (not a spouse) or other loved one or friend and is a generation YOUNGER than the veteran and in good physical shape. Here you will find the application to be a guardian. If you are a veteran that does not have a guardian, we are able to provide you with a guardian. Guardians are required to make a $400 donation to Honor Flight Northeast Indiana to cover a portion of their participation in the flight. PLEASE NOTE: At this time we do not require guardian only applications. If you have a veteran to whom you will be traveling with that meets the eligibility dates, then use this application and make sure to reference the veteran whom you will be escorting. (If paying your guardian fee online via our PayPal link, we are asking you to make your donation for $409.00 to help cover the processing fee.)
What does being a Guardian Mean?
Our guardians are not just escorts for the day, they are working people on the trip. First and foremost the priority of a guardian is to ensure that his/her veteran has a fantastic day and all their needs are met. You are there to be a companion, friend, sounding board, an arm to steady them, a comfort, whatever they need. Especially our vietnam veterans - they have seen and been through some of the worst. Many have not yet had closure. You are there to steady them if the get weak, be that arm when they need it.
Guardians are also there to work - helping to unload & load wheelchairs on buses, assist veterans on and off the buses, pitch in whenever necessary. Another aspect - is the ability to stay behind with your veteran if something medically were to happen and the veteran requires local medical assistance that takes them away from our trip - and in rare circumstances - requires them stay behind. Are you willing to do this? If your veteran would become impaired due to illness, could you care for them, push them in a wheelchair all day, if necessary? To be that comfort, that stead fast person they will need if they have to stay behind. If you have questions about this - do not hesitate to talk to an HFNEI board member.
THIS IS NOT A "Volunteer to Help" APPLICATION.
DOWNLOAD PAPER GUARDIAN APPLICATION - This is a PDF version that can be printed, manually filled out and mailed or scanned to us.