How the Travel Industry Supports U.S. Military Veterans

On Veterans Day, let’s salute our active and retired U.S. military personnel. Let’s also salute the travel industry for the ways it supports American soldiers, sailors and Marines. The travel industry gets lots of headlines for cruise ships that have to be towed into port, delayed flights and lost baggage. Today, I’m sharing good news and giving thanks.

Thank you, American Airlines for partnering once again with The Sands Foundation and the USO to host wounded warriors and their spouses for a special weekend in Las Vegas. The group is flying aboard a special AA Flagship Independence aircraft. The wounded warriors include military servicemen and women from Fort Benning in Columbus, Ga.; Bethesda Navy Hospital; Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and veterans from the New York City area. In Las Vegas, the wounded warriors and their spouses will enjoy performances by Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band, Clint Black, Terry Fator and the Blue Man Group at The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino.

Thank you, JetBlue for donating $25,000 to the Wounded Warriors project, which supports wounded military with cultural and sports activities, from scuba diving and skiing to concerts and weekend getaways.

Thank you, Honor Flight Chicago, which has sponsored more than 1,500 World War II veterans on flights to Washington, D. C., to visit the World War II Memorial on Veterans Day. The average age of these vets is 88. Honor Flight Chicago was founded in 2008 by by WWII Navy veteran Monroe Roth. Flights leave and depart Midway Airport, to the cheers of thousands of supporters.

Thank you Red Roof hotels for giving current and retired U. S. military and their families 15% off room rates at participating hotels for the entire month of November.

And thank you, Southwest Airlines, for being one of the top military friendly employers in the US, according to the magazine GI Jobs, for providing hundreds of jobs to returning servicemen and servicewomen. Southwest Airlines also is honoring the military all month by supporting non-profit groups that support service members and their families.

Tomorrow, I’ll return to beating up the travel industry for delayed flights, lost baggage and cruise ships that lose power at sea and have to be towed into port. But on Veterans Day, I would rather write about the good news and nice things the travel industry does to support U. S. military personnel and their famillies.

Evelyn Kanter