AMVETS NATIONAL COMMANDER TO GREET CALIFORNIA HONOR FLIGHT

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2009—AMVETS National Commander John C. Hapner will be on hand at the National WWII Memorial on the National Mall in Washington on Saturday, May 9, 2009 to greet a contingent of WWII veterans as part of the inaugural Northern California Honor Flight.

The new northern California contingent of the Honor Flight Network was founded by a group of AMVETS to assist WWII veterans travel to the Nation’s Capitol to visit their memorial. Cmdr. Hapner’s visit with these particular WWII veterans will be the first of many throughout the Honor Flight season of 2009.

“Now more than ever it is imperative that we afford our WWII veterans with the opportunity to visit their memorial in the twilight of their lives,” said Hapner. “AMVETS is an organization born out of WWII, and I am happy to see that we will play a significant role in making this a reality for thousands of our WWII veterans in 2009.”

The Honor Flight Network is a national non-profit dedicated to bringing WWII veterans from around the country to visit their national memorial and to see the best that the Nation’s Capitol has to offer.

Today, the Honor Flight Network bolsters 71 hubs in 30 states, and this year the network has set the ambitious goal of bringing 25,000 WWII veterans to see the memorial. AMVETS posts and departments across the country are slated to support dozens of Honor Flights in 2009 to help the network accomplish its goal.

“According to the VA, we are losing thousands of WWII veterans ever day,” said Hapner. “We owe a dept of gratitude to all members of our Greatest Generation, and the Honor Flight is a tremendous opportunity for us to thank our brave WWII veterans for their sacrifices.”

To learn more about the Honor Flight Network and to see a schedule of upcoming Honor Flights, visit, www.honorflight.org.

About AMVETS:    
A leader since 1944 in preserving the freedoms secured by America’s armed forces, AMVETS provides support for veterans and the active military in procuring their earned entitlements, as well as community service and legislative reform that enhances the quality of life for this nation’s citizens and veterans alike. AMVETS is one of the largest congressionally-chartered veterans’ service organizations in the United States, and includes members from each branch of the military, including the National Guard and Reserves. To learn more visit www.amvets.org.