A Hero’s Welcome 

If you have vacationed in Washington D.C., you might have visited the monuments that pay respect to America’s military fighters who triumphed and sacrificed during war. Many veterans, however, have never seen these memorials erected in their honor. 

Jeff Barsotti and his family have dedicated themselves to changing that by leading Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight. They have flown nearly 1,000 veterans, at no cost, to see their specific memorials. 

“Affection and appreciation are at the forefront of what we do because it’s important to honor our veterans,” Barsotti said. “We do everything possible to make it special because they are so special.” 

Whirlwind Trip to Washington 

At least once a year, Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight charters a special flight to D.C., which comes with much pomp and circumstance. Veterans who are selected receive a night’s stay at a hotel in Tulsa, with all food provided. Early the next morning, they are escorted to the airport in grand style by police officers and motorcycle-riding veterans. 

Upon arrival at the nation’s capital, charter buses whisk the veterans off to Arlington National Cemetery and to the memorials. That evening, the veterans are flown back to Oklahoma and are greeted by hundreds of people who are cheering and welcoming them home. 

“For Vietnam veterans, especially, this is a very different greeting than they received after the war,” Barsotti said. “Many were treated so negatively back then. A lot of them have lived with that bitterness. For this arrival, they get to see that they are appreciated.” 

Tenacious Veterans 

If the honor flight sounds like a monumental task of organization—it is! Besides the logistics of hotels, buses, and air flight, each veteran is assigned a “guardian” to manage his or her needs throughout the day. About ten medics travel with the group, as well as journalists and photographers who document each veteran’s experience. 

“We prioritize sending WWII and Korean vets first since their numbers are thinning out. They need to get there as soon as possible,” Barsotti said. “We’ve had 100-year-olds go, and they do incredibly well. It’s an action-packed day, but you wouldn’t believe the tenacity of these veterans!” 

Barsotti and his wife, Ginger, have witnessed many rewarding moments in the decade since they took over the Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight program, which is affiliated with the national Honor Flight Network. Once, they even flew a father and son together, who had fought in different wars. 

“I’ll never forget one Vietnam veteran becoming very emotional at the memorial wall. He found the names of his 22 friends who died during a dangerous mission. Moments after he dropped out of a helicopter, the rest were slaughtered in an ambush,” Barsotti said. “He was facing his ghosts and demons that day.” 

A Family Focused on Flight 

Although Barsotti is president of the Oklahoma Warriors Honor Flight, the 15-member board also includes his wife, daughter, niece, and son-in-law, Kyle Hyden, who toured Afghanistan and Iraq with the Army Reserves. Their goal is to add an additional flight next year, flying out of Oklahoma City. 

“It’s a tremendous responsibility that we do voluntarily––but we take it on wholeheartedly,” Barsotti said. “Each flight costs about $130,000, which we raise through corporate and personal donations, but it’s an incredible honor to show love and gratitude to our veterans. We want them to feel like the heroes that they are.” 

To learn more or donate, visit OklahomaWarriors.org or call 405-627-7221.