Honor to make trip supporting veterans

I was accepted to be a guardian for my father-in-law, Joe Topinka, on a veterans Honor Flight from Cedar Rapids to Washington, D.C., on Sept. 14.

I got as much out of the trip as Joe and the other veterans. Besides the memorials that we stopped at, we were given a guided bus tour through Washington. I'll never be able to tell everyone about all that we saw.

All of the Honor Flight team members were outgoing, encouraging and courteous all day. The welcoming party at Dulles Airport was uplifting and extremely helpful. These folks came out to help people they had never met and will never see again. They were there again for departure. There were five Honor Flight groups from around the country on that day. All the volunteers were still smiling as we prepared to go home. Amazing people.

The welcome-back at Cedar Rapids was overwhelming. The atrium at the airport terminal was full; it was 10:30 p.m., more amazing people.

It was an honor for me to be chosen to be with these veterans, an experience I will never forget. Thank you to all involved.

Duane Backen

Tama