For the second year in a row, Honor Flight of Southern New Mexico & El Paso hosted their annual reunion on the BCOM campus. This non-profit organization was “created solely to honor America’s war veterans for all their sacrifices. We transport our heroes, at no cost to them, to Washington, D.C. to reflect and be honored at their memorials.” Veterans that served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War are eligible for an Honor Flight trip to the nation’s capital.
BCOM’s own Oliver Hayes, DO, Sr. Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs, welcomed the honorees and thanked them for their service to our nation. Dr. Hayes is himself a veteran. He was a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army Medical Corps where he served eight years.
Honor Flight of Southern New Mexico, which also serves the El Paso area, was established in 2008 by business and community leaders devoted to honoring our veterans. The organization has made 11 flights to Washington DC and through the generosity of the community has honored nearly 400 veterans. All expenses for the veterans are paid either through cash or in-kind donations, such as tickets donated by Southwest Airlines. The trip costs about $1,000 per veteran, and people wanting to say thank you donate money to cover those costs.
BCOM President John L. Hummer, also a veteran who served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Adjutant General’s Corps, said, “We are so grateful for the service of these veterans and we are pleased to host them on our campus. I can’t think of a better event that brings honor to our college.”
Learn more about Honor Flight of Southern New Mexico and find out how you can sponsor a veteran at: honorflightnm.org
