WELL HELLO EVERYBODY AND WELCOME TO HANCOCK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, I'M DAN CUMMINGS AND WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT YOU TO YOU THE WELCOME HOME CEREMONY FOR HONOR FLIGHT MISSION 1 ON SEPTEMBER 30246 YEAR, 82 VETERANS TO WASHINGTON AND BACK TO VISIT THE MEMORIALS BUILT TO HONOR THEIR SERVICE AND THEIR SACRIFICE.

IT'S ALWAYS A SPECIAL DAY FOR THEM, A SPECIAL DAY FOR US WHO GET TO WITNESS IT AND THE MOST IMPORTANT EARLY SPECIAL EVENT IS THIS.

THE WATER CANNON SALUTE.

AS THE CHARTERED AMERICAN AIRLINES AIRCRAFT ARRIVES BACK AT HANCOCK AIRPORT EARLY IN THE EVENING, THIS IS WHAT THE VETERANS WHO HAVE A WINDOW SEAT CAN SEE AND WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE SEES AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S WATER CANNONS ARE TRAINED IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS OVER THE CABIN OF THE AIRCRAFT AS IT COMES IN.

IT RAISES THE GOOSE BUMPS ON EVERYBODY'S SKIN AND THE HAIRS ON THE BACK OF THEIR HEAD BECAUSE IT'S AN IMPRESSIVE, IMPRESSIVE SIGHT.

SO WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE WITH US.

AS YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING THAT, COMES THE PARADE AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE THAT SHORTLY.

BUT JOINING ME NOW IS ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE, ALL THOSE YEARS AGO.

I GUESS REAR ADMIRAL JOHN PADDOCK RETIRED FROM OUR U.S. NAVY.

IT WAS A GOOD DECADE AND TWO YEARS BEFORE THAT THAT YOU AND RANDY FLATH GOT TOGETHER AND DECIDED THIS WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.

>> I HAVE TO SAY RANDY FLATH THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A CHALLENGE GETTING IT GOING.

RANDY HAD ALL THE THINK AND DESIRE.

I WASN'T ALL THAT FAMILIAR WITH THE PROGRAM AT THAT TIME.

I HAD SOME INKLING BUT RANDY IS A NON-VETERAN, SO HE HAD TAKEN HIS DAD ON A FLIGHT FROM ROCHESTER AND WAS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE IDEA.

I WENT UP AND MET WITH THE FOLKS IN ROCHESTER ON THE HON ROAR FLIGHT THERE AND-- HONOR FLIGHT THERE AND REALIZED COMING BACK ON THE THRU-WAY THIS WAS GOING TO BE QUITE AN ENDEAVOR.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT I HAD MY ROLES IN THE VETERAN COMMUNITY TO HELP RANDY, A NON-VETERAN, PLUG INTO THAT AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN FOR THAT FIRST FLIGHT.

>> RANDY FLATH, AS HE MENTIONED, TOOK HIS DAD ON ONE OF THE HONOR FLIGHTS OUT OF ROCHESTER.

THEY HAD AN HONOR FLIGHT HUB THERE AND HONOR FLIGHT, OF COURSE IF YOU DON'T KNOW, HERE IN SYRACUSE TAKES 80 TO 82 VETERANS TWICE A YEAR TO WASHINGTON, ALL BRANCHES OF THE SERVICE, ALL THESE YEARS WORLD WAR II VETERANS HAVE RECEIVED THE PREFERENCE, RIGHT?

>> YES.

AND STILL DO.

WE HAVE A FEW STILL AROUND.

EVERY NOW AND THEN WE COME ACROSS ONE THAT'S ABLE TO MAKE THE FLIGHT.

AND WE HAD OBVIOUSLY, FOR AGE AND OTHER REASONS WORKING WITH THE KOREAN WAR, AGE INFIRMITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE HAVE A WONDERFUL TEAM OF NURSES THAT DO THE SCREENING AND THE VETTING AND EVERYTHING.

>> IN JUST A MOMENT, WE WILL BE HEARING FROM SUSAN BASE BASTABLE WHO HELPED US GET THIS STARTED YEARS AGO.

THIS IS A SPECIAL MISSION.

THEY'RE ALWAYS SPECIAL.

YOU TALKED ABOUT WORLD WAR II AND VIETNAM.

WHEN THE EARLY FLIGHTS WENT, MISSIONS 1, 2 AND 3, THEY WERE FULL OF WORLD WAR II VETERANS.

THIS MISSION 1 WHICH IS ABOUT TO LAND AND YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THE PARADE THAT WELCOMES THEM HOME.

MISSION 19 HAD 64 VETERAN VETERANS AND ONE FROM WORLD WAR II AND SOME FROM THE KOREAN WAR.

>> THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT THOUGHTS ON THIS.

THE VIETNAM WAR FOLKS, MANY OF THEM WENT FOR THE ONE YEAR ONE AND DONE KIND OF SITUATION THAT WAS DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE HERE POLITICALLY, CULTURALLY AND THE DIFFERENT TIMES.

SO IT'S ALWAYS A VERY REWARDING EXPERIENCE.

AND I LIKE TO SAY ALL OUR VETERANS THAT HAVE BEEN ON THESE FLIGHTS HAVE VERY MUCH ENJOYED IT.

I'M THE KEEPER OF THE BAD REPORTS.

AND THE COMPLAINTS.

I TELL EVERYBODY-- AND SO FAR I'VE HAD THAT MANY COMPLAINTS.

>> IN 10 YEARS GOING ON.

>> IT HAS BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.

THANKS TO, LARGELY, THE COMPANIES, THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, THE PEOPLE OF OUR CENTRAL NEW YORK COMMUNITY.

>> THE SPONSORS.

>> THE PEOPLE HAVE COME FORWARD TO HELP OUT WITH THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE.

>> THE VETERANS PAY NOTHING TO GO TO WASHINGTON, NOT A PENNY.

IT'S ALL FROM PRIVATE MONEY AND DONATIONS YOU HAVE MADE IN SO MANY WAYS OVER THE YEARS AND I MEAN PEOPLE HERE AROUND CENTRAL AND NORTHERN NEW YORK AND THE MOHAWK VALLEY.

CAN WE DO A QUICK DEDICATION OF THIS BROADCAST, THOUGH, ADMIRAL, TO THE PASSING OF BOB McCLEAN.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> TELL BUS THE MAN WE LOST THIS WEEK.

>> BOB McLEAN WAS THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER HERE IN SYRACUSE.

HE WAS A RETIRED LIEUTENANT COLONEL MARINE CORPS, A WONDERFUL INDIVIDUAL.

AFTER RETIREMENT, HE FOUND A ROLE WITH SYRACUSE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

HE WAS THE HEAD OF THE VETERAN SERVICE AGENCY HERE FOR ONONDAGA COUNTY AND LATER ON AFTER HE BECAME P.A.O., HE IS PART OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD AS WELL.

BOB STEPPED FORWARD IN SO MANY WAYS.

BUT WITH RESPECT TO HONOR FLIGHT, HE WAS REALLY WITH US FOR AS EMCEE ON MANY, MANY OF OUR WELCOME HOMES.

>> THE VETERAN COMMUNITY CERTAINLY MOURNS HIS PASSING, AND WE WANT TO HAVE THAT SPECIAL DEDICATION TO HIM FOR HIS SERVICE.

VIETNAM VETERAN, A MARINE VETERAN.

AND HERE IS OUR NAVAL VETERAN, ADMIRAL PADDOCK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU STARTED WITH ADMIRAL FLATH SO MANY YEARS AGO.

AND BY THE WAY, OVER TO MY LEFT, THEY'RE GETTING READY FOR THE PARADE.

IT WILL BE HERE SHORTLY AND JOHN AND I GET TO WITNESS IT AND HAVE THOSE GOOSE BUMPS.

YOU STILL GET BOOS BUMPS I MAN.

>> IT'S A WONDERFUL EVENING, THE CHATTING WITH FOLKS, THE VETERANS THEMSELVES.

AND DAN, I HAVE TO ADD TO THE LITANY OF FOLKS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH.

YOU PERSONALLY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE PROGRAM AND PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM OVER THE YEARS.

>> IT'S TRULY AN HONOR.

JOINING US NOW IS SUSAN BAY BASE TABLE.

SHE IS HONOR FLIGHT INCARON NAT.

HERE SHE IS AGAIN FOR MISSION 19.

WELCOME SUSAN.

>> GOOD EVENING.

>> THE RN REALLY IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE YOU BEGAN WHAT HAS BECOME A VERY POWERFUL HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM FOR ALL OF OUR VETERANS.

TELL ME HOW THAT GOT STARTED.

>> I WAS CHAIR OF THE LeMOYNE NURSING PROGRAM AT LeMOYNE COLLEGE.

AND I HAD AN ADVISORY BOARD, NURSING ADVISORY BOARD.

AND JOHN PADDOCK, REAR ADMIRAL JOHN PADDOCK WAS A MEMBER.

AND HE CAME TO ME ONE DAY BEFORE A MEETING AND SAID CAN I TELL YOU ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT LATELY.

I SAID SURE.

HE TOLD ME ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF HONOR FLIGHT.

AND I SAID WOULD YOU LIKE TO PRESENT THAT TO THE BOARD?

SO HE DID.

AND AFTER HE SPOKE, I SAID JOHN, HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?

AND HE SAID WELL, YOU KNOW, OUR AUDIENCE WOULD PROBABLY BE WORLD WAR II VETERANS AND THEY'RE ALL IN THEIR 90s, MAYBE 100.

WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY.

SO I'M WONDERING WHAT WE CAN DO.

I SAID CONSIDER IT DONE.

WE WILL FORM A HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE AT LeMOYNE NURSING DEPARTMENT AND WE WILL INTERVIEW THE VETERANS AND THE GUARDIANS AND FIND THOSE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE AND GET THEM ON THE HONOR FLIGHT.

>> THAT'S QUITE AN EFFORT WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE CARRIES 80 OR 82 VETERANS TWICE A YEAR AND THEIR GUARDIANS.

HOW DO YOU ACCOMPLISH THAT?

HOW IS THAT MANAGED TO GET DONE OVER THE YEARS?

BECAUSE THEY ALL FLY HEALTHY.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

INITIALLY THE STUDENT NURSES AT LeMOYNE COLLEGE WHO WERE ALL REGISTERED NURSES BUT THEY'RE COMING BACK FOR THEIR BACHELOR AND MASTERS DEGREES DID ALL THE INTERVIEWING OF THE VETERANS AND GUARDIANS AND FOUND OUT WHAT THEIR HEALTH STATUS WAS, WHAT THEIR NEEDS AND THEIR WANTS WERE.

AND DETERMINED WHETHER IN IN FACT THEY COULD FLY.

AND WE ENDED UP TAKING ANYONE WHO WANTS TO TAKE AS LONG AS THEY FEEL THEY CAN DO IT.

THE ONLY PEOPLE WE CANNOT TAKE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE SEVERE DEMENTIA.

AND SO THEY GET CATEGORIZED INTO THOSE WHO ARE PRETTY INDEPENDENT AND THOSE WHO NEED SOME ASSISTANCE AND THOSE WHO ARE WHEELCHAIR BOUND.

>> AND THE HEALTH AND SAFETY PROGRAM THAT YOU STARTED ALL THOSE YEARS AGO AT LeMOYNE LIVES ON TODAY WITH EVERY MISSION.

BUT YOU'VE TAKEN SOMETHING ELSE TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL FOR HONOR FLIGHT, SUSAN.

THAT'S THE HONORED GUEST PROGRAM.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> RIGHT.

WE STARTED THE HONORED GUEST PROGRAM WHERE HONOR FLIGHT STARTED.

AND THAT WAS BACK IN 2012.

AND REAR ADMIRAL JOHN PADDOCK, WHO IS A CO-FOUNDER OF HONOR FLIGHT, ALONG WITH RANDY FLATH, JOHN INITIALLY RAN THE HONORED GUEST PROGRAM.

AND A FEW YEARS AFTER THAT, HE SAID TO ME, SUSAN, WOULD YOU TAKE OVER?

I HAD GONE ON THE INAUGURAL MISSION AS A GUARDIAN AND I HAD GONE ON MISSION NUMBER 2 AS A GUARDIAN.

AND HE SAID STOP FLYING AND START WORKING HERE WITH ME WELCOME HOME IN THE EVENING.

AND SO I TOOK OVER OVER THE HONOR GUESTS PROGRAM.

>> WHO ARE THE HONORED GUESTS?

>> THEY'RE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES, PEOPLE WHO ARE LEADERS IN CORPORATIONS AND AGENCIES IN THE COMMUNITY AND LET ME STRESS IT'S NOT JUST SYRACUSE.

IT'S A 10-COUNTY WIDE HONOR FLIGHT.

AND SO WE DRAW PEOPLE FROM NORTH COUNTRY AND ALL THE WAY OVER TO UTICA AND SO ON.

>> THESE HONORED GUESTS, VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE.

THEY DON'T FLY NECESSARILY ON THE MISSIONS BUT THEY PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE HERE AT THE WELCOME HOME.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THEY HEAR FROM ME FIRST, WE WELCOME THEM AT A CONFERENCE ROOM.

TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY OF HONOR FLIGHT.

AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE VETS ARE EXPERIENCING DOWN IN WASHINGTON.

AND THEN THEY GO UP WITH ESCORTS.

WE HAVE A TEAM OF ESCORTS WHO WORK ONE ON ONE WITH THEM AND ACCOMPANY THEM THROUGH THE AIRPORT, GO UP TO THE GATE AND ACTUALLY MEET AND GREET THE VETERANS ONE BY ONE AS THEY COME OFF THE PLANE.

>> AS THEY RETURN HOME.

THAT IS A SPECIAL HONOR FOR THEM.

>> DO I WANT TO SHOUT OUT ONE THING AND THAT IS THAT AMONG THE HONORED GUESTS, BESIDE PEOPLE FROM CORPORATIONS AND AGENCIES OR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HONOR FLIGHT AND WANT TO LEARN MORE, WE HAVE A WONDERFUL GROUP OF FORT DRUM REPRESENTATIVES.

EVERY MISSION AS HONORED GUESTS.

WE HAVE EIGHT OF THEM COMING TONIGHT.

BUT WE HAVE HAD A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH FORT DRUM AND THEY HAVE ACTUALLY RECIPROCATED AND INVITED US UP TO CHANGE OF COMOND CEREMONIES UP THERE AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

>> A WONDERFUL ONGOING RELATIONSHIP.

>> A WONDERFUL ONGOING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ACTIVE MILITARY.

>> I'M GOING TO LET YOU GET BACK TO YOUR DUTIES FOR HONOR FLIGHT 19.

SUSAN THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE'LL TALK SOON.

HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE IS ALL ABOUT THE VETERANS AND THEIR GUARDIANS.

SOMETIMES THE GUARDIANS ARE FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE VETERANS, SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT.

BUT THERE ARE ALWAYS FAMILY MEMBERS, MANY OF THEM HERE FOR THE WELCOME HOME PARADE AND CEREMONY.

AND THERE ARE 80 TO 82 VETS ON EVERY FLIGHT.

YOU CAN TALK TO 80 DIFFERENT VETS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND GET A TREMENDOUS STORY.

I KNOW I HAVE OVER THE YEARS, TALKED TO SO MANY OF THEM.

BUT WE MET UP WITH ONE OF THOSE FAMILIES WAITING HERE FOR THEIR SPECIAL VETERAN TO COME HOME AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO THEM AS YOU LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY TO US.

>> I AM LORRAINE SOUTHWORTH AND MY HUSBAND IS RAYMOND SOUTHWORTH WHO HAS DONE EIGHT YEARS IN THE MILITARY.

HE HAS GONE THROUGH MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY EXPERIENCES, SOME GOOD AND SOME NOT SO GOOD.

BUT THESE ARE OUR AMERICAN HEROES.

AND IF IT WASN'T FOR THEM, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE AND OUR LAND WOULDN'T BE FREE.

THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR.

THE FIRST YEAR I WAS HERE IN 2018 WITH MY UNCLE.

IT IS VERY EMOTIONAL, VERY APPRECIATIVE TO OUR MILITARY THAT PROBABLY THAT THEY NEVER GOT.

I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL NEAR ON THEIR WAY HOME AND THEY READ THE GRATITUDE THAT ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE, HAVE GIVEN TO THEM.

THERE IS JUST SO MUCH DETAIL THAT GOES INTO THIS, PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND.

THE VOLUNTEERS, THE NURSES, THE PARAMEDICS, THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS.

THOSE AIRPLANES ARE DECORATED FOR THEM.

AND I'M HOPING TONIGHT THEY'RE GOING TO FEEL THAT APPRECIATION.

>> I'M SUSAN NAPPA AND JOHN NAPPA RIGHT THERE IS MY DAD.

I LISTEN TO ALL HIS STORIES AND HIS HEARTBREAK ABOUT THINGS HE HAD TO GO THROUGH AND IT'S HEART BREAKING TO WATCH HIM CRY EVERY SUN DAIP AT DINNER ABOUT STORIES AND I FEEL LIKE HE IS GOING HAVE SOME SORT OF CLOSURE WITH DOING THIS TODAY.

AND HE TALKS ABOUT HOW WHEN THEY CAME HOME, HOW AWFUL IT WAS.

SO THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING FOR HIM.

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HIM COME IN AND SEE EVERYBODY HERE FOR HIM AND ALL THE OTHER VETERANS.

>> THEY HEARD AND SAW A LOT FROM MY HUSBAND.

I'M EXCITED TO SEE THEM, REALLY.

(BAG PIPES PLAYING MILITARY THEME SONGS) (EVERYBODY IS CHEERING) (BAG PIPES PLAYING AND PEOPLE CHEERING) IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE AND IT'S GREAT TO HAVE OUR GUEST SPEAKER HERE TO SHARE SOME WORDS WITH YOU.

FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, NOT A DAY GOES BY SOMEBODY DOESN'T COME UP AND ASK ME ARE YOU ENJOYING RETIREMENT?

AND I AM.

BUT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ASK OUR GUEST SPEAKER THAT, TOO, IF YOU CHOOSE BECAUSE HE JUST RETIRED AFTER 26 YEARS IN MILITARY SERVICE, JUST A MONTH AGO IN AUGUST.

BUT YOU WILL ALSO GET A QUESTION ONCE IN A WHILE AND EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION.

EVERYBODY KNOWS WHERE THEY WERE ON 9/11.

AND YOU CAN TELL YOUR CHILDREN AND I'M SURE YOU HAVE.

EVERYBODY KNOWS WHERE THEY WERE ON 9/11.

OUR GUEST SPEAKER WAS IN A COCKPIT OF AN F-16 ON 9/11 OVER THE SKIES OF NEW YORK CITY.

HE WAS THE FIRST U.S. AIR FORCE FIGHTER PILOT TO REACH NEW YORK CITY THAT DAY AND HE SPENT MOST OF THE NECK DAY OVER ONE CITY OR ANOTHER PROTECTING THE SKIES OF OUR COUNTRY.

AND HE HAS BEEN WITH US HERE IN SYRACUSE SINCE 2011 AT THE 174th ATTACK WING OF THE NEW YORK AIR NATIONAL GUARD AND HE WAS THE COMMANDER OF THAT WING STARTING IN 2020 AND JUST RETIRED LAST MONTH.

I UNDERSTAND HE MAY HAVE A SECOND ACT IN STORE.

SOME OF US WHO RETIRE DOACIALT.

I THINK COLONEL McCRINK PROBABLY DOES.

BUT HE HAS A FEW WORDS TO OFFER SOME OF YOU TONIGHT AND I WANT TO BRING HIM UP NOW.

LAWNL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE RECENTLY RETIRED COMMANDER OF THE NEW YORK AIR NATIONAL GUARD 174th ATTACK WING, COLONEL WILLIAM J. McCRINK, III.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> GOOD EVENING.

AFTER THAT INTRODUCTION, EVERYTHING I SAY WILL BE A LET DOWN SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

BUT AS YOU NOTICE, I WAS SITTING IN THE CROWD BECAUSE I WAS A GUARDIAN ON TODAY'S MISSION 19, AND WHAT AN HONOR.

THANK YOU TO THE TEAM FOR INVITING ME TO BE PART OF JUST THIS AMAZING TRIP TO WASHINGTON D.C. AND JUST BEFORE I STEPPED UP HERE ON STAGE, I WAS TALKING TO ROBERT BOUCHARD AND HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAID, I WOULD HAVE DONE IT ALL THE SAME.

TO ME, 50 YEARS LATER, IT IS AMAZING.

THESE VETERANS OUT HERE ARE SO DEDICATED TO THIS COUNTRY AND WHAT IT STANDS FOR.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

AS WE PAY TRIBUTE TO THESE VETERANS, I REALIZE THAT IT WAS A BIG ASK, WHETHER THEY SERVED ONE YEAR, THREE YEARS OR 27 YEARS.

WE ASK A LOT.

BUT THEY GAVE US A GIFT, A PRECIOUS GIFT AND THAT GIFT IS CALLED FREEDOM.

AND TODAY, WHILE WE WALKED AROUND THE MONUMENTS IN WASHINGTON D.C., ONE PHRASE STOOD OUT: FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.

THESE VETERANS PURCHASED FREEDOM BY THE BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS WHILE THEY ANSWERED OUR NATION'S CALL TO DUTY.

OUR VETERANS, WHOM WE SALUTE TODAY, EMBODY TRUE SPIRIT OF SACRIFICE.

THEY WILLINGLY PLACED THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO PROTECT THE LIBERTIES WE HOLD DEAR.

AND I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE HONORED TO BE WITH THAT GROUP OF FOLKS TODAY.

OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT I WAS SURROUNDED BY NAVY.

[LAUGHTER] SORRY ABOUT THAT.

HOW MANY AIR FORCE VETERANS DID WE HAVE TODAY?

OKAY.

THERE WERE A FEW.

AND DID WE NOTICE WHAT WAS OUR LAST STOP?

SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST.

[LAUGHTER] AGAIN, I STAND HERE HUMBLED BY THE ENORMITY OF ALL OF YOUR COMMITMENT, FROM THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY TO THE HILLS OF KOREA TO THE JUNGLES OF VIETNAM, FROM THE DESERTS OF THE MIDDLE EAST, TO THE MOUNTAINS OF AFGHANISTAN, OUR VETERANS HAVE FACED ADVERSITY AND UNWAVERING RESOLVE.

THEY HAVE STOOD RESOLUTE IN THE FACE OF DANGER.

AND THEY HAVE TRIUMPHED OVER TYRANNY.

IT IS BECAUSE OF THEIR VALOR THAT WE ENJOY THE FREEDOMS WE HOLD SO DEAR.

AND SPEAKING OF TYRANNY, AGAIN TODAY AS WE WALKED AROUND THE MONUMENTS, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE WORLD WAR II MONUMENT, THIS QUOTE STOOD OUT TO ME.

"AMERICANS CAME TO LIBERATE, BUT NOT TO CONQUER, BUT TO RESTORE FREEDOM AND END TYRANNY."

AND THAT IS WHAT THESE VETERANS PROVIDE TODAY.

AND YESTERDAY.

THESE PRINCIPLES HAVE GUIDED OUR VETERANS THROUGH HISTORY'S DARKEST MOMENTS AND THEY REMAIN STILL, A BEACON OF HOPE FOR ALL OF US TODAY.

LET US NOT FORGET THAT HINTED EVERY HERO IS A FAMILY.

AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT YOUR VETERANS.

[ APPLAUSE ] TODAY WE EMBARKED ON ANOTHER SYRACUSE HONOR FLIGHT, ANYTHINGS MISSION 19.

WE ARE REMINDED OF THE POWER OF UNITY AND GRATITUDE, REMINDED THAT IN TIMES OF NEED, OUR NATION'S FINEST HAVE COME TOGETHER AS ONE.

THEY HAVE TRANSCENDED DIFFERENCES AND EMBRACED THE COMMON PURPOSE TO DEFEND OUR FREEDOM.

LET US ALSO REMEMBER THOSE WHO COULD NOT BE WITH US TODAY.

THOSE WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.

THEIR MEMORY LIVES ON IN THE PRINCIPLES FOR WHICH THEY FOUGHT.

THEIR SACRIFICES REMIND US OF THE TRUE COST OF FREEDOM.

AS YOU SAID, AS WE STAND ON THE SHOULDER OF GIANTS, LET US COMMIT OURSELVES TO HONORING OUR VETERANS, NOT JUST WITH WORDS, BUT WITH ACTIONS.

THEIR SCARS ARE BOTH VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE.

THEY ARE A REMINDER OF THE HEAVY BURDEN THEY HAVE CARRIED.

WE OWE IT TO THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY NEVER FEEL FORGOTTEN.

LET US ENSURE THEIR SACRIFICES ARE NEVER IN VAIN.

LET US BUILD A WORLD WORTHY OF THEIR 15 SACRIFICES, A WORLD WHERE PEACE AND FREEDOM REIGN SUPREME.

IN CLOSING I WANT TO EXPRESS MY PROFOUND GRATITUDE TO OUR VETERANS HERE TODAY.

YOUR SACRIFICES HAVE NOT GONE UNNOTICED OR UNAPPRECIATED.

YOU ARE THE BEDROCK OF THIS NATION.

THE GUARDIANS OF OUR LIBERTY AND THE EMBODIMENT OF COURAGE.

I THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART.

MAY WE ALL CONTINUE TO HONOR THE SERVICE AND CHER ISSUE THE STORIES OF OUR VETERANS THAT SFAWT TO UPHOLD FREEDOM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

GOD BLESS OUR VETERANS, GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND GOD BLESS SYRACUSE HONOR FLIGHT MISSION 19.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> DIDN'T I MENTION SOMETHING ABOUT GOOSE BUMPS EARLIER IN THE BROADCAST.

IT IS UNAVOIDABLE ON HONOR FLIGHTS LIKE YOU JUST SAW.

THE HONOR, THE PRIDE, THE PATRIOTISM AND THE HONOR THAT CENTRAL NEW YORKERS, THE VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR GUARDIANS AND PEOPLE WHO JUST WANTED TO COME OUT AND SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE VETERANS.

IT'S ALWAYS SO IMPRESSIVE.

HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE MAKES IT SPECIAL FOR THESE VETERANS, MANY OF THEM, OF COURSE, WHO NEVER GOT ANYTHING CLOSE TO A WELCOME HOME WHEN THEY RETURNED HOME FROM SERVICE, BUT WITH HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE, THEY ALWAYS DO.

MISSION 20, BY THE WAY, OF HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE SCHEDULED FOR THE LAST SATURDAY IN APRIL OF 2024 AND WE WILL BE RIGHT HERE TO BRING IT TO YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF PUBLIC TELEVISION, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF HONOR FLIGHT SYRACUSE AND WE'LL SEE YOU SOON.