Guardians play a significant role on our “Tour of Honor” flights. They are responsible for helping to ensure every veteran has a safe and memorable experience. Currently each veteran is paired with a guardian. In most cases a guardian is a family member, either a child or grandchild. Spouses or significant others are not eligible to be guardians. When a family member or a friend isn’t available volunteer guardians who have submitted applications are asked.
Guardian Requirement:
- 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. Payment isn’t required until you are assigned to a trip.
- You cannot be a veteran’s spouse or significant other. If you are a different family member of a veteran you must be 16-65 years old. If you are not a family member, you need to be between 18 -65 years old. Guardians over 65 must get HFCCC Chair approval.
- 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, squat, 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.
For more information, please read Guardian Frequently Asked Questions
NOTE: Beginning May 2025 TSA will require that your driver’s license be a Real ID to board a plane.
Don’t have a Real ID? Here a list of other TSA accepted forms of ID.
If you want to be a guardian either for a family member or as a volunteer guardian please submit a Guardian Application.
We recognize that the guardian cost can be a challenge. Guardians frequently reach out to family and friends to contribute to the cost of the trip. We have drafted a message you may want to adapt and use in asking others to help with your trip costs. Note: In cases of extreme hardship we have limited funds available to help defray some costs.
Please Note
HFCCC will keep your application file until you go on a trip. If you want us to delete your application from our system before you go on a trip please contact us at flightinformation@honorflightccc.org. Once you go on a trip, HFCCC will delete your application from our system within 30 days after you return.
HFCCC Board reserves the right to deny any application at the Board’s discretion.
