Welcome Home

Help show our appreciation to these men and women for the sacrifice they made for our country by coming to the airport to greet the flight when we return.  Most of these veterans returned home with very little thanks for their service.  This is our opportunity to change that.

Our first flight will be Saturday, 20 April returning to the Dayton airport at 8:00pm.  We invite base personnel to greet the flight in the gate area if they so choose.  For those that wish to greet at the gate, you must acquire a gate pass from the American Airlines ticket counter and then process through TSA before 7:00pm.  The airline is doing us a great service by staying open, so please be early.

We encourage our base personnel to get a gate pass and be the first to greet us when we deplane.  However, please note, you must choose where you want to cheer for our veterans -either upstairs or downstairs.  You will not be allowed to go downstairs to the second reception until after the Honor Flight group has exited the secured area.   This will be strictly enforced.   This is partly due to construction/ remodeling inside the airport terminal and partly due to capacity limits of the downstairs area in front of the ticket counters. 

Honor Flight representatives will be in the gate area with instructions, information and will be available to answer any questions. Announcements in the gate area will be around 7:00pm.  Questions concerning the homecoming can be directed to hfdwelcomehome@gmail.com or contacting HFD’s lead coordinator for this event – LaTisha Fay (937) 765-1407.

Since this is our first flight post-pandemic, there may be additional protocols enforced.  Please following the guidance provided by our volunteers.

Additional instructions for attending the gate area reception

Can’t come to the homecoming at the airport and still wish to help?