​ABOUT HONOR FLIGHT

Honor Flight, Inc. and affiliated hubs in the national Honor Flight Network are private, not-for-profit organizations created solely to honor America’s Veterans for their many sacrifices. Today, there are 128 regional hubs in the United States.

Honor Flight first flew in May 2005 with six small planes flying twelve WWII veterans, departing from Springfield, Ohio. In 2006, with a rapidly expanding waiting list, the program transitioned to commercial airline carriers to accommodate more veterans. That same year Honor Flight partnered with Honor Air in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and Hero Flight in Provo, Utah, to establish the national “Honor Flight Network” which has expanded aggressively to include cities across the nation. By 2007 official Network hubs had been established in 32 cities, to localize community commitment, operational planning, and fund-raising.

Beginning as a dream, Honor Flight of the Ozarks was founded in February 2013 and the first flight was in May 2014.

On May 29, 2024 Honor Flight of the Ozarks completed its 23rd Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. bringing a total of almost 1,810 veterans to Washington, D.C. on our Honor Flights. We have two more flights scheduled, in August and October 2024.

We currently have approximately (400) qualifying veterans waiting to participate on their Honor Flight mission, a number that is growing monthly.

By the numbers

Veterans Flown 2023

22,244

  • WWII - 390
  • Korean - 2,340
  • Vietnam - 18,357
  • Other - 1,157

Guardians Flown 2023

17,444

Total Veterans flown since inception

295,787

Total Guardians flown since inception

217,654

Current Honor Flight Hubs

129 Hubs currently serving 45 states

Soldiers at D.C. Memorial with Veterans and Guardians watching from the background

Honor Flight of the Ozarks
1,684 Veterans Flown Since Inception

Veterans standing at memorial

Honoring Our Veterans

Because of generous donors like you, our honored and deserving Veterans travel absolutely FREE!

In December 2013, Honor Flight of the Ozarks became the 133rd regional hub in the national Honor Flight Network. Our board members and volunteers are honored and committed to providing flights to Washington D.C. for thousands of our deserving Veterans in Southwest Missouri.

Honor Flight volunteers standing around a sitting veteran

HOW CAN YOU HELP OUR VETERANS?

Our Honor Flight would not be possible without the financial support from private and corporate donors and sponsors. We are also seeking to broaden our base of fund-raising programs throughout Southwest Missouri with Veteran organizations such as VFW, American Legion, and business clubs such as Rotary and Kiwanis. We will continue to partner with all church denominations and Boy and Girl Scouts, and especially enjoy the enthusiastic support of our schools and students who benefit so much from the personal involvement with our Veterans through our Speakers Bureau. Veterans fill the gaps in American History and Social Studies curriculum as they continue the legacy of the wonderful stories which began with our founding fathers to our current military men and women. Our students love our Veterans!

Honor Flight of the Ozarks is a non-profit organization as a 501 (c) (3). All donations are deductible to the extent determined by law.

Our goal is to honor and recognize the sacrifices our Veterans made so that we may all continue to enjoy our freedoms and way of life. Our small token of our appreciation for them is to give them a memorable trip of a lifetime to visit their Memorials in Washington D.C. in a VIP manner that befits the heroic status they occupy in the hearts of all Americans.

Your generous support allows us to accomplish our goal of honoring our Veterans!

HFO Leadership Team

Honor Flight of the Ozarks is a member of the Honor Flight Network

Board of Directors

Ron McCall - Director, Board of Directors, 2024 BOD President

× Ron McCall

Ron McCall - Director, Board of Directors, 2024 BOD President

Ron is a retired US Air Force Physician Assistant, having served during the Vietnam conflict. He moved with his family to Springfield upon retiring from active military service. He is honored to serve on the Board of Directors of Honor Flight of The Ozarks. He sees his present service as a continuation of a lifetime of service to others, having worked in the medical profession throughout his career, helping provide healing for others. His present participation with Honor Flight is one of helping others facilitate that healing in many ways while honoring those who have shown their willingness to serve this great country.

Zachary McFarland - Director, Board of Directors, 2024 BOD Vice President

× Zachary McFarland

Zachary McFarland - Director, Board of Directors, 2024 BOD Vice President

Zachary joined the HFO Board of Directors in 2023. His dedication to veterans stems from his father’s service in Vietnam with the Army and grandfather’s service in the 6th Marine Division in WWII. Zachary served as a HFO Guardian in 2019, and currently serves as an assistant flight coordinator and executive committee board member.

Douglas Evans - Founding Director, Board of Directors (2014), 2024 BOD Treasurer

× Douglas Evans

Douglas Evans - Founding Director, Board of Directors (2014), 2024 BOD Treasurer

Three sons of WWII veterans in 2013 undertook the task of continuing to honor veterans after KY3 ceased operation of their WWII Honor Flight. Also, we thought all veterans should be honored in addition to WWII veterans.
I am a 7 term past chairman and 35+ year board member of Springfield Industrial Solutions, formerly Springfield Workshop and a 49-year member, past President and current board member of Springfield South Kiwanis so my community service has been a key concern throughout my career.
Since my father died in 2002 and national Honor Flight wasn’t organized until 2005, I wanted to honor my father through my service to HFO.

Walt Cameron - Founding Director of Honor Flight of the Ozarks (2014)

× Walt Cameron

Walt Cameron - Founding Director of Honor Flight of the Ozarks (2014)

Motivational Speaker, Nonprofit Consultant, Private Money Real Estate Lender, Life-Style Coach, Business Consultant, Best-Selling Author. We are very blessed to honor our Veterans with a VIP experience and a trip to Washington, D.C. to visit their Memorials.

Bill Cox - Director, Board of Directors

× Bill Cox

Bill Cox - Director, Board of Directors

“The most exciting thing that these veterans have an opportunity to do is to #1: be able to get the mail call from the people throughout the community that care for what these veterans have done for our country. #2: the opportunity for these veterans to be greeted by thousands of well-wishers when they arrive back in Springfield.
It has been a pleasure for me, for the past ten years, to associate myself with the Ozarks and I am looking forward to many more years of supporting the veterans of Southwest Missouri and the surrounding areas.”

Steve Bach - Director, Board of Directors

× Steve Bach

Steve Bach - Director, Board of Directors

Steve is recently retired after being self-employed for 42 years with Bach Medical. 7 years ago, I went as a guardian on my first honor flight. I fell in love with it. I went on my first Honor Flight as a guardian to honor my deceased father’s WWII Service (which he was very proud of), and when I returned I asked the past flight director what was the hardest part of her job. She replied, “gathering/borrowing 60 wheelchairs for every flight.”
Being in the medical business, I thought we would get them donated. Over the next six months, it happened. People donated money, and some of my suppliers donated wheelchairs. We were able to acquire additional chairs through my company very affordably.
I also had a mission as the 4th board member to increase the size of the board and make some changes that would benefit the veterans. We also accomplished that very successfully.
I originally wanted to thank service members for their service, not knowing the Vietnam veterans had never been thanked. Now, I stay involved to make sure they are thanked as well.

Dave Thater - Director, Advisory Board of Directors

× Dave Thater

Dave Thater - Director, Advisory Board of Directors

Dave is a Navy veteran, having been in the Navy Reserve. After over thirty-nine years as a commercial lender, Dave retired as a Senior Vice President at Central Bank. Previous to his banking career, he served as a reserve officer with the Springfield Police Department.
“I have been with the Honor Flight for over 8 years as guardian, volunteer, director and have been on 16 flights. I truly appreciate the honor to be a part of this fabulous Veterans organization.”

Gary Ellison - Director, Board of Directors

× Gary Ellison

Gary Ellison - Director, Board of Directors

Gary Ellison currently serves as a director on the board of Honor Flight of the Ozarks. He works in advertising/public relations, and marketing and was a member of the Mayor’s Commission on Travel and Tourism. He is a staff writer for Show-Me Missouri magazine, the state’s premier travel magazine. He began his work in broadcasting in high school on ABC-TV’s Ozark Jubilee. Ellison was named Missouri’s Official Ragtime Piano Player by the State Senate in 1973. The Gary Ellison USO Show toured South Vietnam in 1967 and Korea in 1968. He has played Missouri music in concerts throughout the United States, including Disneyland in California and Lincoln Center in New York.

Ned Reynolds - Director, Board of Directors

× Ned Reynolds

Ned Reynolds - Director, Board of Directors

I’m a six-year veteran of the US Navy and have been on the Board of Honor Flight of the Ozarks since 2016.
Semi-retired from KY3 TV after 48 years as Sports Director. Currently part-time at KY3, Midwest Family Radio, and Zimmer Communications.

David T. Snider - Director, Flight Coordinator

× David T. Snider

David T. Snider - Director, Flight Coordinator

In addition to serving as a director on the board of directors, David currently serves as the Flight Coordinator on flights.
David is a retired police officer with 28 years of service with the Springfield Police Department and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana. Preceding a career in law enforcement, he served his country with four years of active duty as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army.

Gary Doucey - Director, Board of Directors

× Gary Doucey

Gary Doucey - Director, Board of Directors

Growing up in the Springfield-area of southwest Missouri, Gary joined the U.S. Navy after one year of college in 1964.
He spent five years on active duty, spending time in Vietnam from 1966 to 1969. Following active duty, he spent 24.5 years with the Navy Reserve.
After his active-duty service, Gary was in law enforcement serving with police and sheriff departments in Stone Co., MO, Walnut Grove, MO, Greene Co., MO, and Lawrence Co., MO. When Gary is not busy with volunteering with Honor Flight, he spends his free time doing car shows and camping.

Charles Jerman - Director, Board of Directors

× Charles Jerman

Charles Jerman - Director, Board of Directors

Charlie serves on the board of directors for Honor Flight of the Ozarks. Charlie spent 25 years in law enforcement before retiring to pursue his real passion of working with veterans. In addition to serving with Honor Flight, Charlie also serves on the board of directors of the Branson Veterans Task Force. While he has always had great respect for veterans, especially his Marine uncle, it increased each year while he worked in the Branson area. “It is a privilege to be a member of the board of directors at each of these organizations.”

Theresa Suda - Director, Board of Directors, 2024 BOD Secretary

× Theresa Suda

Theresa Suda - Director, Board of Directors, 2024 BOD Secretary

Theresa, a familiar face to Honor Flight since 2010, embodies the spirit of gratitude for our veterans. The owner of RosamungThorns, a local flower shop, has presented each of our veterans with a long stemmed red rose upon their arrival to their Welcome Home celebration at the arrival airport on each flight. As the beloved “flower lady,” Theresa warmly welcomes veterans with roses, a symbol of appreciation.
A legacy of service runs deep in her family – her father, late husband, and son all proudly served in the U.S. Navy. This deep respect for sacrifice translates into action. Her dedication extends beyond gestures. In addition sitting on the Board, she actively serves as a volunteer at events, participated twice as a guardian, and directly supporting veterans on their emotional journey.

Chaplain (COL) Scott McChrystal, USA (Ret) - Director, Board of Directors

× Chaplain (COL) Scott McChrystal, USA (Ret)

Chaplain (COL) Scott McChrystal, USA (Ret) - Director, Board of Directors

Scott McChrystal served 31 years on active duty, 10 as an infantry officer and the remainder as an Army chaplain. His infantry experience included a tour in Vietnam and three assignments with the 82nd Airborne Division. His chaplaincy experience included multiple tours at home and abroad. In his last assignment, he served as the senior chaplain at West Point. He retired from active duty in 2005 and served 14 years as the military endorser for the Assemblies of God.
In addition to serving with HFO, he serves as the Executive Liaison for the Warrior’s Journey, a non-profit organization that supports the military community. His education includes a Master of Business Degree, a Master of Divinity Degree, a Doctor of Ministry Degree, and graduation from The United States Army War College. Additionally, he serves as a consultant to the American Council on Education.

Jennifer Danko - Director, Board of Directors

John Huddleston - Director, Board of Directors

Office

Lora Combs - Office Administrator

× Lara Combs

Lora Combs - Office Administrator

Since 2018, Lora has held the position of Office Administrator for Honor Flight of the Ozarks, where she is an essential member of the team dedicated to honoring veterans. Her training as a Registered Nurse enhances her compassionate approach to serving those who have served our nation. Lora's deep respect for military service is rooted in her family's legacy, with multiple generations having served in the armed forces. Outside of her professional commitments, she values quality time with her daughter, grandchildren, and family, and has a passion for raising miniature Schnauzers.

MISSOURI VETERANS RECOGNITION PROGRAM

Veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam who meet eligibility requirements are entitled to a medallion, medal and certificate. Any spouse or eldest living survivor of a veteran who meets the eligibility requirements but died prior to having made application, is entitled to a medallion, medal and certificate.

The program is administered through the Missouri National Guard at no cost.

Recognition Application