Photos: Congressman Zinke Welcomes Montana Veterans to D.C. for Inaugural Montana Honor Flight

Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke welcomed Montana's inaugural Honor Flight to our nation's capital to visit the war memorials and monuments their service built. Zinke met the group at the U.S. Navy Memorial. The Montana veterans are on a three-day visit to Washington, D.C., touring the memorials and monuments built in their honor, including the Korean War Memorial, World War II Memorial, Vietnam Wall, U.S. Navy Memorial, and Arlington National Cemetery. Montana recently established an Honor Flight hub in Deer Lodge, one of 130 chapters nationwide. Congressman Zinke spoke to the group, answered questions, and reflected on the meaning of service with the veterans in attendance.

"The coming home experience for many of our Vietnam era veterans was very different than when I came home, and one of the missions I have as a Congressman is to make sure that injustice is never repeated. It was a tremendous honor to welcome some of Montana's own war veterans to the U.S. Navy Memorial for the inaugural Montana Honor Flight," said Zinke. "Montana has a proud tradition of service, and this journey gives those who defended our nation the chance to see the memorials and monuments built in their honor. Being part of this experience was truly powerful and meaningful. These men and women are, and will always be, heroes."

"It was an honor to have Representative Ryan Zinke join us at the Navy Memorial on his personal day to meet the veterans of the inaugural Montana's Continental Divide Honor Flight," said Dr. Lori Drumm, Continental Divide Honor Flight Director. "He took time to visit, share stories, and take photos with each of them-making the day even more meaningful as we celebrated their service and sacrifice."

About Honor Flight

The Honor Flight Network is a national nonprofit that provides veterans with free, all-expense-paid trips to Washington, D.C., to visit memorials honoring their service. Its mission is to bring veterans to the memorials built in their honor, offering them an opportunity to reflect, heal, and be recognized by a grateful nation.

The program began in 2005 with a small group of World War II veterans and has grown into a nationwide movement with over 130 Honor Flight hubs across the country. Today, Honor Flights primarily serve veterans of the Korean and Vietnam Wars while continuing to honor remaining WWII veterans and those from more recent conflicts. Since its founding, the Honor Flight Network has flown over 300,000 veterans to Washington, D.C.

This is the first Honor Flight trip taken by the Montana Hub. Veterans from around Montana joined. If you or someone you know is interested in attending a future honor flight trip, you can find more information here.

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