Latest news with #NorthCountryHonorFlight
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Veteran honored with flagpole: Mero's service did not end with enlistment
MINEVILLE — Approximately 60 Veterans, family members and friends gathered around Keith Mero's front yard to witness the raising of a flag pole and stars and stripes to honor the Veteran's service during and after his enlistment, May 17. According to Mero's bio submitted for North Country Honor Flight in 2022, he served in the U.S. Army from 1979 to 1992 in the Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations. 'With the 2nd Combat Army Regiment, Keith realized if trouble started this group would be the first to respond,' the bio read. 'When they were not in the field, they increased their training to be fully prepared. Keith was assigned to the Prisoner of War Team working with Military Personnel and Interrogators. As the first in battle, the Team policed all foot soldiers near the tanks. In constant contact with the commander, their mission was to capture the enemy. Some enemy soldiers laid down their weapons and those who continued to fight lost their lives. The Team processed 2,000 enemies with a sad casualty loss of one Team member.' 'This is dedicated to your service to see that all of those who served under you returned home,' Ceremony emcee Danny Kaifetz said. The flagpole was then erected and Mero had the honor of raising the first flag. Mero responded to the honor being bestowed to him by saying, 'I love you all, every one of you. Thank you.' Keith's youngest son, John, spoke lovingly and with great respect for his father. 'I remember the places we traveled and the things we saw,' John said. Keith persuaded his sons not to follow in his footsteps. 'I realized it was not all good, and you wanted to spare me the sacrifices,' John said. John related the many things his father did for the community such as drive Veterans to the VA for services and initiating the Hometown Heroes banner program for Moriah. Mero had also been a member of the Veterans of the North Motorcycle Association. On one occasion when the group was called upon to show support for a Veteran, he indicated he was not feeling too well, but went anyway. Two days later he had open heart surgery. Keith's dedication towards others was reinforced by former Moriah Town Supervisor Tom Scozzafava. 'Keith came to my office and told me they planned on having 50 to 75 banners for Hometown Heroes. All we had to do was put up the brackets and hang them. Well, we have about 400; the most of any town in Essex County.' At the conclusion, Mero received commendations from Essex County and Adjacent General of NY State Major General Raymond F. Shields. This included the Medal of Merit, a state-level military award presented for exceptionally meritorious service or for heroism by military personnel or Veterans. In 1917 President Woodrow Wilson gave, in part, the following speech which was recited at the ceremony for Mero. 'We meet to celebrate Flag Day because this flag which we honor and under which we serve is the emblem of our unity, our power, our thought and purpose as a nation. It has no other character than that which we give it from generation to generation. The choices are ours. It floats in majestic silence above the hosts that execute those choices, whether in peace or in war. and yet, though silent, it speaks to us. —speaks to us of the past, of the men and women who went before us and of the records they wrote upon it.' The American Heroes Flagpole Association, founded by Danny Kaifetz, himself a U.S. Marine Veteran, is based in Owl's Head, NY. They award hand-crafted 25 foot Northern red oak flagpoles to combat wounded, combat disabled and combat decorated Veterans throughout the Northeast at no cost. On his website Kaifetz said, 'These donations and the accompanying ceremonies, the honor so long overlooked for so many who sacrificed greatly for our freedom, have led to the most rewarding moments of my career.' According to Kaifetz, 'I am now finally in a position to refocus the purpose of my work and my goals in life. With a small group of outstanding officers and other veterans we have created the American Heroes Foundation with one purpose only, to honor great American heroes for their service and sacrifice.' For those interested in submitting the name of a deserving Veteran, donating, or to order a flagpole go to: info@
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Plattsburgh Barracks Veterans Park improvements coming this year
PLATTSBURGH — Work on the Plattsburgh Barracks Veterans Park is expected to kick off later this year. Last Veterans Day, the City of Plattsburgh and members of the Plattsburgh's Disabled American Veterans chapter were presented with a $125,000 Dormitory Authority of New York or 'DASNY' grant by Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) to improve the Plattsburgh Barracks Veterans Park, which is located on the former Air Force Base where the North Country Honor Flight ceremonies take place. 'It is so important to honor our local veterans for all their sacrifices, and this park is one way to not only recognize their dedication and service, but also to celebrate Plattsburgh's military history,' Jones said. 'Members of the DAV and the City of Plattsburgh work diligently to maintain and preserve this park, and I am honored to help them in their mission.' With the state funding, the city and members of the DAV plan to make renovations to the park, including improving the sidewalks and installing new lights. 'We're going to redo the lights and do a lot of the groundwork there,' Mayor Wendell Hughes said recently. 'I'm hoping, if we can get it done by, in between the second and third (Honor) flight, would be amazing so we can have it for the second half … but again, I'm not promising that.' The first flight of the year took place May 17. The next three will fly out of Plattsburgh on June 28, Sept. 6, and Oct. 4. According to a recent city resolution, the DASNY grant budget did not include funding for professional services to oversee the project and compile engineered design specifications before it goes out to bid for construction, so the city had to hire someone for these services. At their May 15 meeting, city councilors awarded a $2,500 Professional Service Agreement to Barton & Loguidice, which will now include providing oversight for the implementation of the DASNY grant. The council approved the resolution unanimously.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
North Country Honor Flight season ready to take off
PLATTSBURGH — A new season of North Country Honor Flight begins at 7 am., Saturday, May 17, with the first of four trips to Washington, D.C. 'It is a big day for us and we certainly are hoping for a great day weather wise, but it will be great no matter what,' North Country Honor Flight Executive Director Barrie Finnegan said. 'We are hoping for another great crowd.' North Country Honor Flight, since 2013, has taken more than 900 area veterans on 59 flights to Washington to visit the war memorials of each conflict the nation has been involved in over the years. Flights 60 and 61 will depart Saturday from Plattsburgh International Airport after the send-off ceremony at Veterans Park at the U.S. Oval at 7 a.m. The ceremony will feature the standard songs by the Morrisonville Elementary School students and Larry Ebere. Local musical sensation Taylor LaValley will perform the U.S. and Canadian national anthems. Finnegan said LaValley learned the Canadian anthem in anticipation of a Canadian World War II soldier that was planning on participating in the trip, but had to cancel due to a last-minute illness. 'She learned the song and she has such a beautiful voice, and Canada is so important to our region so why not sing it anyway as an honor to them,' Finnegan said. The ceremony will also be highlighted by the usual Thunder in the Burgh, which features more than 200 motorcycles roaring through North Country streets to form up as a powerful escort for the two buses that will ferry the veterans from the Oval to the airport. 'People will hear it once again and they are going to make some noise,' Finnegan said. Each ceremony features short biographies of each veteran on the trip. For several years, former Director of Operations Janet Duprey would read the bios, but she has since stepped down from her position. Finnegan said Executive Officer Jerika Manning and new Director of Operations Gina Bond will take over the reading of the bios. Mountain Lake PBS Television's Thom Hallock will once again serve as the master of ceremonies. 'Some people have said that the program is always the same, but for the veterans going on the flights, they have never been here before and they have never seen it,' Finnegan said. 'It's all for these vets.' Many veterans who have taken a flight have come back to attend subsequent flights, Finnegan said. 'A lot of them come back because they know how important it is and they don't want to miss any of them, and they bring their families,' he said. Finnegan said support from local residents has been super over the years in terms of fundraising and attendance at send-offs. 'We are lucky to live where we live because people are so supportive,' he said. In addition to the usual send-off events, the Beekmantown Central School seventh-graders are hosting a 5k fun run and other events to support the program. More information is available on the North Country Honor Flight Run Facebook page. The day will end when the flights return to the airport around 8:15 p.m. and crowds are encouraged to greet the veterans back at the Oval park. Future flights are scheduled for June 28, Sept. 6 and Oct. 4. 'It's that time of year again and we are looking forward to this and we are going to have another great season, and our veterans deserve this,' Finnegan said.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Calling All Vietnam Vets: Your Time Is Now
It's almost time for North Country Honor Flight to fire up the jets. The program has been flying veterans from around the region to Washington, D.C. for over a decade. Since 2013, roughly 900 veterans have taken the free trip to visit the memorials at the nation's capital. North Country Honor Flight's executive officer, Jerika Manning said, they fly from Plattsburgh, NY to Washington, D.C. to visit the Airforce Memorial, Marine Memorial, WWII Memorial, the Vietnam Wall and the changing of the guard. The average WWII vet is just over 100-years-old. The average Korean War vet is mid-80s to early-90s. Manning said they are seeing less of those veterans as they get older. The next big group to focus on is the Vietnam War vets. 'When Honor Flight started, it was organized in a large part by Vietnam veterans who were serving the WWII veterans, and the Korean War veterans. They never thought it was their time,' said Manning. 'There never became a time where we really focused on asking the Vietnam veterans to apply and letting them know and reminding them that they have more than earned and deserve this trip, but that it's their time to start applying now. One of those Veterans, Greg Lee, served in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969. He said that's when the war took the most casualties. Lee signed up at just 16-years-old, after he said he lied to get in. That decision, according to Lee, is something he's never regretted. He said some veterans have a hard time dealing with the whole subject though. 'A lot of these guys, I know them personally. A lot of them feel that they don't deserve to go, for whatever reason,' said Lee. 'Some of it might have to do with the treatment we got when we came home. Vietnam veterans weren't very welcomed.' Lee admitted he had avoided seeing the Vietnam Wall for several years. It wasn't until 2 years ago that his buddies at North Country Honor Flight made the decision for him. 'A lot of the folks in Honor Flight decided I was going, so I went. I wish I had done it 10 years before that,' said Lee. 'It was a healing process.' Lee said anybody can visit the memorials, but the experience of going with a group of fellow Vietnam veterans is unlike anything else. He urges any and all Vietnam veterans to get an application, sign up and go. 'You'll be glad you did,' said Lee. Applications are available at North Country Honor Flight's website here. Manning said there is plenty of room for any vet that wants to go. The entire trip, including food and drinks, is free. The first flight of the season is May 17, 2025. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Vietnam War vets encouraged to apply for Honor Flights
PLATTSBURGH — Now is the time for Vietnam War veterans to take the spotlight at North Country Honor Flight. Jerika Manning, Executive Officer for North Country Honor Flight, said the organization, which flies veterans down to Washington D.C. so they can see the war memorial monuments in their honor, is making it a priority to get more Vietnam veterans to apply for a flight. 'North Country Honor Flight started with just World War II veterans, and then they opened it up to Korean War veterans, and then they opened it up again to Vietnam veterans,' Manning said. 'The Vietnam veteran generation — that era — are not as quick to apply, and don't think that they're as deserving … (they) had this mentality of: 'let the old guys go first.'' IT'S THEIR TURN Which is what Honor Flight has done. Manning said just one World War II veteran is left on their list to fly. Now, the focus is on Vietnam veterans, although veterans of all ages and from any war are still encouraged to apply as well. 'It's their (Vietnam veterans) turn, essentially, is the message that we want to put out,' she said. 'Their welcome home (from war), obviously, they weren't well received. So a lot of them … just don't feel like they deserve it … the way they were treated when they came back was really what the mission of Honor Flight is: to give them that proper thank you that they didn't get when they came back. 'But, it's just a matter of convincing them that now's the time to apply.' APPLICATION PROCESS Those interested in applying for a flight can do so at contact 518-364-6503 or email northcountryhonorflight@ for help. The application process is simple, and the Honor Flight team is there to assist with any questions or concerns. All expenses are covered for each veteran. 'Together, let us honor our Vietnam Veterans and ensure their sacrifices are never forgotten. We look forward to welcoming our heroes aboard and celebrating their service to our nation,' a news release said. 'As we continue our mission to honor and celebrate the sacrifices made by our Veterans, we invite all Vietnam Veterans in the North Country region to apply for a flight to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and more. This special trip not only serves to honor their service but also provides an opportunity for camaraderie and reflection among fellow Veterans.' Honor Flight takes four trips to D.C. each year. Manning said those that apply now should be able to get on a flight within the next year or two as they are catching up on their wait list. However, as always, older veterans who apply would take priority first. REAL ID For those planning to apply, one important change to the application this year includes the federal government's new requirement of a 'Real ID' to fly. Manning included this paragraph in the new applications: 'NEW in 2025: A valid, unexpired government-issued 'REAL ID' photo ID is required for air travel. An Enhanced Driver's License, Military ID, DoD ID, and Passport are all 'Real ID' compliant. Please be sure to bring your ID with you to the airport. THE NAME ON THE ID MUST MATCH THE NAME YOU'VE PROVIDED ON THIS APPLICATION.' This requirement goes into effect May 7 and everyone flying must comply, veterans and their chaperones included. For many older veterans, it could be a challenge to get to the DMV and ensure they're in compliance. 'You never really need it if you're not traveling, and a lot of these veterans are not traveling, they're not just going on vacation,' she said. 'What's nice, though, is that many of them have a military ID or a Department of Defense ID or a passport, and all those are Real ID compliance.' Honor Flight's first flight of the year is May 17, and Manning said everyone should be all set for that one, so far. Those interested in learning more about applying for a Real ID can visit/call their local DMV office or go here:
