Are there any requirements in order to be a guardian?
- You need to pay for your trip. The current cost is $1300 which covers air and land transportation, food, lodging, attraction entrance fees, flight bag, jacket, and t-shirts.
- If you are a family member of a veteran you must be 16-65 years old. You cannot be a veteran’s spouse or significant other. If you are not a family member, you need to be between 18-65 years old. Guardians over 65 must get HFCCC Chair approval (chair@honorflightccc.org).
- Your responsibility on the trip is to assist your veteran with whatever they need which may include pushing your veteran in a transport chair up to 7 miles during a single day.
- You must be in good physical health, have good eyesight and hearing and be able to walk and lift 80lbs.
- 14-7 days before the trip there will be a mandatory Pre-Flight event and training that you must attend in order to go on the trip.
- You will be part of a team along with the other guardians who will help veterans get on and off the bus and help load equipment on and off the bus. You will be part of a “bucket brigade” so you will need to be agile, mobile, able to squat, and able to lift 80 lbs.
Can I be a guardian even if I am not related to or a friend of a veteran who is going on a trip?
- Yes, if a veteran doesn’t have a family member or friend to be their guardian we reach out to volunteer guardians who have submitted an application. Non-family member guardians must be between 18-65 years old. Exceptions for the age requirement can be made. You need to contact chair@honorflightccc.org.
I am a family member and want to go as a guardian but I live out of the area. Can I still go?
- Yes. If you can’t leave and return with the group we will work with you on a case by case basis to make it work as best that we can. This may require you to make some airline reservations separately.
How do I apply?
- Apply online
- NOTE: by submitting an application you aren’t necessarily committing to going on a specific trip.
How are guardians chosen?
- In most cases guardians are family members (children or grandchildren) of the veteran. Spouses and significant others are not eligible to be guardians. Exceptions for this can be made if there is a medical necessity that can only be filled by a spouse or significant other. Contact chair@honorflightccc.org for information on the approval process.
- If there is no family member or friend who is available to go as a guardian we reach out to our volunteer guardians.
- Volunteer guardians will be interviewed by an Honor Flight representative before they are chosen for a flight.
- We will begin sending emails or calling those on the list until the spots are filled.
What if I am chosen as a volunteer guardian and can’t go on the trip?
- You will remain on the list and we will contact you when we start planning the next trip.
Will I get confirmation after I apply?
- When you apply online you will get a confirmation page indicating that your application has been received along with a follow-up email. If you don’t receive an email, check your spam/junk folder.
How long is my guardian application kept on file?
- Your application is kept on file until you tell us to remove it. Any time you want to be removed from our list of possible guardians email us at flightinformation@honorflightccc.org or call (805) 610-0180. After you go on a trip, unless you request that we keep your application on file to go again, we will delete your application.
How will I be notified that you need me to go on a trip?
- We will contact you via the contact information on your application, usually a phone call.
Links to other FAQs
