The Brief
- The group left around 6 a.m. for the Flight to Honor Mission #11, with veterans flying alongside their guardians.
- The itinerary includes visits to national memorials and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with veterans highlighting camaraderie and shared service.
- Their return is expected around 7:30 p.m. in Lakeland, where a large homecoming celebration is planned.
LAKELAND, Fla. – It’s a trip of a lifetime for some of our military veterans.
The backstory:
Veterans and their companions took off around 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning for a full day of sightseeing at the nation’s capital. It’s the Polk County Veterans Council Flight to Honor Mission #11. Veterans participating in the mission fly for free and are accompanied by a guardian for the day. Once the 87 veterans land, it’s a full day of seeing the memorials and monuments, changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and much more.…