RST was the base for a North Star Honor Flight on April 23, 2025 that provided the opportunity for 88 veterans from southern Minnesota and northern Iowa to tour Washington D.C. memorials and sites.
The day kicked off with a ceremony at 5:30 am. Veterans and their guardians then flew to Washington, D.C. (DCA), where they boarded a bus for a whirlwind D.C. tour. Sites included the Vietnam Veterans, Korean War and World War II memorials as well as the Lincoln Memorial, the Iwo Jima U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, the Airforce Memorial and the Arlington National Cemetery.
The return flight arrived at 10:15 pm. Hundreds of family members and friends cheered for the veterans as they exited RST. “From start to finish, this day was about honoring veterans. The supportive atmosphere was a perfect end to the day,” said Jill Klapperich, North Star Honor Flight board president.
Flights are free for veterans. Their guardians pay for their own flight costs. Veterans who served in Vietnam or earlier are eligible to travel on an honor flight.
North Star Honor Flight is planning more flights out of RST and is currently accepting applications for involvement in the program. Interest in the program is high, which means interested veterans may have to be added to a wait list. For more information, visit www.northstarhonorflight.org.
