KJZZ is a service of Rio Salado College,
and Maricopa Community Colleges

Copyright © 2025 KJZZ/Rio Salado College/MCCCD
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Arizona Group Helps Veterans Year-Round, Not Just On Veterans Day

America is honoring its veterans with parades and services across the country on Monday, but an Arizona group is working to keep the honors going year-round.

 The group Honor Flight Arizona said there is an urgency to its work, with World War II vets, now averaging 90-years-old.  The group flies about 30 vets at a time to Washington to tour the war memorials and other historic sites. Susan Howe, who founded the group, said the vets who make the trip are surprised by the support they receive from people they meet along the way, but she said there is a long waiting list to go to Washington.

"When we make phone calls to let a veteran who has signed up know that they're going on a trip, about 25 percent of them are either too infirm at this point to go or they've died, and that's why time is of the essence," Howe said.

 Howe said there are about 270 people on the waiting list. Honor Flight Arizona has flown nearly 900 vets to the nation’s capital since it began four years ago. The project gets no government funding, relying for support on contributions from service clubs, businesses and individuals.

 

Dennis Lambert was a morning host at KJZZ.