07/14/2026
Honor Flight Rochester Seeks More Veterans for Upcoming Missions
Special Call for More Veteran Applications, Including Post-Vietnam Veterans
July 14, 2026
ROCHESTER, NY — Honor Flight Rochester has reached an exciting milestone. Thanks to the extraordinary support of our community, the organization has successfully worked through its longtime waiting list of veterans and is now seeking additional applications to continue filling upcoming missions and prepare for its 100th Honor Flight Mission in spring 2027.
Honor Flight Rochester continues to fly World War II, Korean War, Cold War, and Vietnam-era veterans who served through 1975. The organization is encouraging veterans from those service eras to apply now so they can participate in upcoming missions.
At the same time, Honor Flight Rochester wants to remind veterans that it has always accepted applications from veterans of all service eras and years. Flight priority is determined in accordance with Honor Flight Rochester's guidelines. Veterans with terminal or serious illnesses receive priority, followed by veterans from the earliest eligible service eras, and then by the date an application is received.
As Honor Flight Rochester prepares for future missions – and its 100th Honor Flight in spring 2027 – the organization also encourages veterans who served between 1975 and 1989 to apply now. While current missions continue to serve veterans through the Vietnam era, Honor Flight Rochester expects to begin flying veterans from the 1975–1989 period in the near future and wants to ensure those veterans are already in the application pipeline.
"We're asking veterans who served during the years following Vietnam to apply now," said Kim Gould, President of Honor Flight Rochester. "As we prepare for future missions, we want to ensure these veterans—including those who served during the Cold War and subsequent operations—are already in line to receive the recognition they have earned."
Honor Flight Rochester was founded in 2008 with the mission of taking World War II veterans to visit the National World War II Memorial while they were still able to make the trip. Thanks to overwhelming support from the Rochester community, that mission has grown to include veterans from subsequent service eras, and Honor Flight Rochester remains committed to honoring America's veterans for years to come.
Veterans are encouraged to apply now, even if their service era is not currently being flown, so they are in line when their era becomes eligible.
Honor Flight Rochester also asks family members, friends, veteran organizations, and community groups to help identify veterans who may not know they are eligible and encourage them to apply.
Applications may be completed online (HonorFlightRochester.org) or printed and mailed to Honor Flight Rochester, P.O. Box 7, Webster, NY 14580.
Honor Flight Rochester, Inc. PO Box 23581, Rochester, NY 14692
(585) 210-2115 www.HonorFlightRochester.org
Honor Flight Rochester, Inc. is a fully registered New York State 501(c)(3) public charity.
Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Who are We? We fly our heroes to Washington, D.C. to visit and reflect together at their memorials. Rochester, New York is one of about 125 established hubs in the…
