Honor Flight Historic Triangle Virginia

1. Honor Flight Historic Triangle Virginia Guardian Training

2. History Honor Flight was founded by Earl Morse and made it’s first flight to D.C. in May 2005 Honor Flight Historic Triangle Virginia was founded in September 2008 when we saw a need for funds to support local WWII Vets so they could visit ‘their’ Memorial We became an official Honor Flight Hub on December 17, 2008.

3. Historic triangle Honor Flight Board President: Bob Doherty Director: Matt Hartman Asst Director: April Maletz Asst Director: Dana Rivera Board Members: Sharon Anderson Satin Bentley Connie Drago Jack Greenhalgh Kelley Hall Doug Harshbarger Tony Levine Rachelle Woodruff-Kelso

4. Primary Mission Care for the Veteran as if he/she is family!! Honor Flight gets numerous calls from anxious wives, daughters, sons, and grandchildren wanting to accompany the Veteran so they can be sure they will be well cared for. We need to guarantee that we can fulfill that role! Safety - Safety- Safety- Safety (This is your primary duty)

5. Own the problem • If you find one of our vets has a problem • YOU OWN IT! • Until or unless you can turn it over to an appropriate person, deal with it. • Never leave one of our vets with an issue because it wasn’t: • Your vet, • Your bus, • Your Hub.

6. Cell Phones • We will be communicating via cell phone; charge your battery! • Bus Captain and Mission Director cell phone numbers will be on your nametag

7. Photographs • Encourage the Veterans to take LOTS of photographs during the trip. • Offer to take their photograph with their cameras. • Don’t wait until they reach the WWII Memorial; remember it’s the journey that they will want to recall. • Start taking pictures early in the day including, waiting areas, on the bus, and of course at the memorials • Each Veteran will be given a disposable camera; there should not be any film left on the camera at the end of the day • Please notify your Bus Captain if your Vet did not get a camera • Most guardians have their own cameras; take lots of pictures to share with your Veteran after the trip. These photographs will likely be some of the most treasured pictures for family members • There will be a photographer assigned to each bus

8. Wheelchairs • Never handled a wheelchair before? • LOCK THE WHEELS! • BACK IN AND OUT of Doorways/Elevators • Keep track of your wheelchair! • If the Veteran decides he/she wants to walk for a bit – be sure to keep track of that wheelchair! • Make sure chair is “set” before allowing the Veteran to sit down • If you don’t have a wheelchair bound Veteran at the beginning of the day – you may have one by the end of the day – watch for fatigue and check with Bus Captain if you think he/she may need a chair • Suggest to them to be “King for a Day” and take the Royal Treatment!

9. Falls • Be alert for any Veterans having difficulty walking; have them sit down immediately • Notify your Bus Captain and get a wheelchair as soon as possible! • Assist Veterans with: • On and off the bus • Around the memorials • Guardians WILL BE at the top and bottom of the bus steps while veterans are going up or down these steps!!!!! • You will have to watch some Veterans closer then others • Be particularly alert toward the end of the day when fatigue is high

10. Medical Complaints • Inform your Bus Captain immediately if any Veteran is complaining of these symptoms: Fatigue Chest pain Dizziness Acting confused Shortness of breath • You should watch for these symptoms as well - some Veterans won’t tell you until it’s too late • We have an EMT on each bus. MEDICAL EMERGENCY • Contact your bus EMT & your Bus Captain

11. Dehydration • Senior citizens do not like to drink when they travel because of bladder control problems • Carry water for your vet. • They are very prone to dehydration • Lack normal thirst mechanisms • Layer lots of clothing • Take medications that make them prone to dehydrate (water pills) • Encourage them to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day • Ensure them that bathrooms are available • Tour bus -Memorials -Rest Stops • Personal hygiene items (hand sanitizer, wipes, Depends) are also available to the Veterans and guardians  • You may wish to pack a small backpack of personal items as well

12. Sun • Sun • Put sun block on yourself and your vet during the day; repeat as needed • Elderly skin is very fragile and must be safeguarded • Encourage your vet to wear a hat. • We must be very aware of how debilitating heat is – to ourselves and the vets – hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! • Watch for clammy skin, paleness, flushed cheeks, shortness of breath • Any symptoms of a health problem must be immediately reported to your bus captain and the medical person on your bus. Each bus will have a medical person on board.

13. Buses • SAME BUS, SAME SEAT ALL DAY LONG! • Order of getting off bus: • Media • Bus Captain • Guardians (pull wheelchairs) • Veterans (Three guardians on the stairs; one at the top – two at the bottom) • No one gets off the bus without knowing: • Where are the bathrooms? • Time and location of event at memorial. • When does everyone get back on the bus? • Where will the buses be for pick-up?

14. Buses (2) • Guardians with Vets who require wheelchairs get off first, removing the wheelchairs required for that specific stop • Always have ONE guardian at the top of the stairs and TWO at the bottom! • Guardian at the top is the “traffic cop”; controlling the flow • Guardians at the bottom assist each Veterans off the bus • As the Veterans come downstairs, “top” guardian assists and guides him/her to waiting guardians • Guardians at the bottom of stairs are watching for the next Veteran • Always have a guardian watching for the next Veteran coming off the bus • CAN NOT over emphasize this issue; this has been a high injury point due to lack of attention to the Veterans coming off the buses

15. Headcounts • Headcounts will be conducted at specific locations • loading the buses, etc. • To aid the accountability, you will be assigned specific Veterans that you will be responsible for during the trip – DO NOT lose sight of your Veterans! • Always keep your Veterans in view – listen for their names at role call • This is THEIR day and it’s up to you to make it memorable, safe, and rewarding • Guardians can TEMPORARILY “swap” vets in order to accommodate veteran visits to different areas at each stop, however, you MUST ensure a vet is NEVER without an assigned guardian and you MUST link up with your assigned veteran(s) prior to the departure from each location.

16. FOOD & WATER! • Make sure that every Veteran on your team gets plenty to eat and drink  • Open water bottles and food packages/containers for your veteran • Meal time is also a great time to remind Veterans to take their medication(s) as needed • Honor Flight will pay for their meals  • HFHTVA has made arrangements for box breakfasts & lunches; make sure each Veteran gets one • HFHTVA has planned dinner at the National Museum of the Marine Corps • Guardians ensure the Veterans are fed first before they eat

17. Bus Captains • A Bus Captain is responsible for everything that happens on his/her bus. • The Bus Captain determines guardian roles for the day and ensure these are followed throughout the entire trip • The Bus Captain Role conducts roll calls and/or seat checks • The Bus captain ensures that if a vet elects to stay on the bus at any time, a guardian is assigned to stay with that vet.

18. Memories We have contacted several Veterans who have taken the trip with us. When we ask them what was the most memorable part of their entire trip, the answer is always the same – it was the appreciation, admiration and sincere gratitude shown to them for their service by complete strangers, youngsters and other tourists. That memory will remain with them for the rest of their lives. You can help foster that recognition by thanking them for their service in front of others who happen to be within earshot of your conversation.

19. Listen! • Lend a sympathetic ear • During the tour, you might hear the Veterans talking about their combat experience or friends they have lost. For some of the Veterans, this might be the first time they have ever talked about the experiences that they have tried to forget • If this happens, don't feel that you have to make a comment – just listen and thank them for sharing their stories with you • You might ask them if they have shared their combat experience with their family. If not, encourage them to pass down their stories to their loved ones as a legacy of their service

20. Key Injury Areas • BUSES – loading and unloading (one guardian at top/two below) • WHEELCHAIRS • LOCK THEM IN PLACE! before assisting Veteran in or out • Foot rests down and Veterans feet properly in place • Transitioning curbs • WW II Veterans DO NOT push other Veterans • Each Memorial has it’s own set of hazards

21. VietnamVeterans Memorial Korean War Veterans Memorial

22. KOREAN WAR VETERANS MEMORIAL HORRIBLE DROP OFF/PICK UP POINT; LOTS OF TRAFFIC AND MAY HAVE TO CROSS THE STREET (CURBS!)

23. NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL Can be VERY congested in bus drop off/pick up area.

24. NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL Memorial is in a “bowl” with ramps leading into the memorial.

25. NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL ‘Steps’ leading down to the edge of fountain and area around fountain in irregular shaped.

26. THE MARINE CORPS WAR MEMORIAL (IWO JIMA) • The majority of falls in the Honor Flight Network happen at the Marine Corps War Memorial . . . Be on the top of you game!!

27. ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

28. ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY Buses Load and Unload in front of Memorial Amphitheater

29. ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY Handicap Restroom down the Ramp

30. ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY RESTROOM ENTRANCE It can be VERY difficult to get in and out of the restrooms.

31. ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY RESTROOM EXIT It can be VERY difficult to get in and out of the restrooms.

32. ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY • You are required to stand during Changing of the Guard, so stay close to your Veteran. We would prefer you stand either ground level or on upper flat platform. There is a separate area for wheelchairs.

33. ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY • There is a separate area for wheelchairs.

34. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE MARINE CORPS ARRIVAL AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE MARINE CORPS IS VERY COOL, BUT CAN ALSO BE VERY EMOTIONAL

35. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE MARINE CORPS There are sections of the museum that can get a little dark.

36. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE MARINE CORPS Toward the end of the day and everyone is getting a little tired.

37. CHECK, Check & Double Check! • Be their ears and eyes • KNOW if your veterans are hard of hearing or legally blind • Check the bus, waiting areas, rest stops • WHEREVER they sit for their wallet, glasses, cell phone, cameras, jackets, camera, ponchos, etc. • Echo announcements that are made or ask veteran if they heard what was said. • Help blind veterans feel the Bas-Relief Sculpture Panels

38. Your Veteran's Money • Do NOT permit the Veteran to pay for anything during the trip • Exceptions would be for souvenirs they want to purchase • If you see a Veteran trying to pay for food, drink, or any items other than souvenirs, please stop them from doing so and contact your Bus Captain if available or purchase the item for your veteran and request reimbursement through your Bus Captain after the trip • Let your Bus Captain know how much you spent and you will be reimbursed

39. Impromptu Donations • Do not accept donations to our program by any Veteran, other passengers, or tourists • Politely inform Veterans that they can never make a donation to Honor Flight Network because we feel that they have given enough • Any non-Veteran who would like to make a contribution can do so by visiting the our website.

40. News Media • You may come in contact with news media who want an interview. • Identify those articulate, talkative Veterans in your group that would be at ease during an interview and direct the media to those individuals • Will Rogers once said, “We can't all be heroes. Some of us have to stand on the curb and clap as they go by.” The Honor Flight program is dedicated to this saying • These trips are about the Veterans and NOT the guardians • This may be their "last hurrah" THE SPOTLIGHT IS THEIRS!

41. You set the tone for the entire trip! • WE WILL ENCOUNTER SOME “ISSUES”, BUT STAY POSITIVE! • HISTORY HAS SHOWN US THE VETERANS DON’T START COMPLAINING UNLESS THE GUARDIANS ARE COMPLAINING

42. ENJOY THE TRIP! You have significant responsibilities during this trip; MOST ESPECIALLY THE SAFETY OF THE Veterans! You will hear things like “this is the most important day of my life.” Several are coming to closure with feelings they have been carrying for over 60 years. This trip is a significant emotional event for the Veterans, the Veteran's family members and also for you, the guardian. Your life will be changed forever because you gave so much so our World War II Heroes can be given a small token of appreciation for what they did for us; they saved the World and because of their sacrifices, you enjoy the freedoms of our GREAT COUNTRY.