Spring Freedom Honor Flight Postponed

March 12, 2020, La Crosse, Wis. – Organizers from Freedom Honor Flight, the La Crosse-based hub of the national Honor Flight Network, have announced they are postponing the May 9, 2020 flight to Washington D.C. What was to have been the group’s 25th honor flight is being postponed due to the increased risk of air travel and large group gatherings associated with COVID-19.

At an emergency meeting this week, the board of directors reviewed a report prepared by Kevin Kuchar, paramedic and longtime Freedom Honor Flight board member. Based on the recommendations by Kuchar and concurrence from fellow board member, John Pershing, MD, emergency medicine physician with Gundersen Health System, the board voted to postpone the flight.

Most veterans on the flights are older adults and many have severe underlying medical conditions. According to the CDC, those individuals seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness. The safety and comfort of veterans is top priority for Freedom Honor Flight. Veterans who would have been selected for the May 9 flight will be rescheduled for the next flight.