Mission 16 Information - Veterans Honor Flight

NOTE: This page only applies to Mission 16 (May 18, 2026)

Last Update: March 5, 2026

Important Dates

Veteran Application Deadline: December 31, 2025
Wheelchair Banner Deadline: March 30, 2026
Guardian Training: Saturday, April 11, 2026 (9am – Noon)
Medical Evaluations: Saturday, April 25, 2026 (9am – Noon)
Real ID Verification Deadline: April 25, 2026
Mail Call Deadline: May 8, 2026
Supply Drive-Thru: May 16, 2026 (9am – Noon)
Flight Date: May 18, 2026
- Arrival to the Airport: 4:45a.m
- Return approximately: 9:30 p.m

Veteran Notification

We mail notices to Veterans and email notices to guardians. Veteran packets were mailed February 9. Please verify that your veteran has received their packet. If they have not received it by March 1, please email hope@veteranshonorflight.org

Guardian Fee

All guardians must pay the guardian fee of $600 to travel with Veterans Honor Flight. This payment is due at guardian training on April 11. Payment may be made by check made out to “Veterans Honor Flight.” Payments by credit card are subject to a $15 processing fee. If you do not end up flying, your fee will be refunded to you.

Guardian Fee Assistance

The guardian fee covers part of the cost of your travel on Honor Flight. Because Honor Flight is specifically designed to be free to our veterans, we do not allow a veteran to cover the guardian fee for his/her guardian under any circumstances.

Policy regarding online fundraising campaigns (GoFundMe).

If you are unable to pay your guardian fee, we suggest asking local organizations to sponsor you. Organizations such as the Elks, VFW, American Legion, etc are often eager to help out. Area small businesses may also be interested in sponsoring your guardian fee. If you will need funding assistance, please email hope@veteranshonorflight.org to obtain a fee request letter to present to businesses/organizations.

If you are unable to secure sponsorship as noted above, a number of small businesses across Southern Illinois have made us aware they are willing to sponsor guardians who cannot pay the fee. If you would like us to assist you with a sponsorship, please email Hope at hope@veteranshonorflight.org with your request. Include the organizations you have asked in your email. While we cannot guarantee assistance, we will make our best efforts to ensure everyone who has been selected to fly gets to go.

Guardian Training

All guardians on the flight MUST attend guardian training for Flight 16, even if you have previously participated in guardian training.

Guardian Training is April 11 from 9am until Noon at Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois, 10400 Terminal Drive, Marion. Training is held in the Charter Lounge in the main terminal, just to the right of the Contour Airlines’ ticket counter.

Previous guardian training does NOT exclude you from mandatory attendance.

Training will cover timing for the trip, what to bring, what to expect, and more. Everyone is encouraged to bring a notebook with them.

Approval

All guardians are subject to approval by the Board of Directors. This approval will be made after guardian training.

Real ID

All Veterans and Guardians MUST have a Real ID compliant photo ID to travel on Honor Flight. This is a federal requirement by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), not an Honor Flight policy. Read more about Real ID here. Guardian IDs will be checked at Guardian Training. Veteran IDs will be checked at Medical Evaluations. Any Veterans or Guardian who does not present a compliant ID will be placed on STANDBY until the person’s ID is verified by Veterans Honor Flight.

Additionally, Arlington National Cemetery has not implemented RealID requirements. Each Honor Flight passenger’s RealID will be verified by ANC staff prior to entry. Any Veteran or Guardian who does not have a RealID will have to exit our bus, go through screening, and then rejoin the group on foot. This is a new policy for Mission 16.

Medical Evaluations

Medical Evaluations are used to determine any medical assistance required by each veteran. This is not a decision point for the veteran’s flight status. We have never denied a veteran travel due to any medical condition. It is our intention to take every veteran, regardless of any medical needs.

Material Pick-Up

Both Veterans and Guardians will pick-up materials (such as shirts, hats, and jackets) on May 16 between 9:00am and Noon at Veterans Airport. This is a drive-thru, just pull up in front and we will deliver your bags to you.

If you are unable to make this drive-thru, we can deliver your bags to the Drury Inn, Comfort Inn, or Hampton Inn in Marion. Please fill out the Alternative Pick-Up Request to let us know where to take materials.

Mail Call

NOTE: For the past several missions, we have received Mail Call well AFTER the mission has returned. This is frequently due to slow delivery by the US Postal Service. In some cases, we’ve had mail delivered over 30 days AFTER the postmark date. Please consider this when mailing your mail call to us.

Mission 16 Mail Call Letter

Mail Call can be dropped off at Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois between 6am and 10pm daily. The mail drop box is upstairs.

Mail can be mailed to:

Veterans Honor Flight of SI
ATTN: Mail Call
10400 Terminal Drive, Suite 200
Marion, IL 62959

Standby Information

Standby guardians are required to complete training.

Standby veterans and guardians should NOT attend the drive thru on May 16 unless moved to confirmed status.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial has provided a number of recommendations and resources to ensure Veterans get the most out of their visit. Visit our page on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial for complete information.