A wet and rainy Friday morning greeted 28 different veterans and 20 guardians as they loaded onto a bus to leave for the annual Honor Tour.
“This is something we do every year, and each vet that goes is going for the first time,” Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1056 President Larry Kimbrow explained. “After a vet goes for the first time, if they want to go again they can do so as a guardian. But they have to pay for their trip on their own.”
Kimbrow went on to explain that the VVA raises money throughout the year in multiple ways — through individual donations as well as corporate donations — specifically for the purpose of being able to fund the trip for veterans who have never been before.
“There are plenty of people, including veterans, who may have been to Washington D.C. before,” Kimbrow noted. “But, there’s just something different about it when you’re there with 29 other veterans who have their own experiences and can relate to your experiences.”
Kimbrow explained the tour lasts for three days, and the veterans visit every memorial in Washington D.C.
“For Vietnam veterans, they can go to the Vietnam Wall and find names of their friends who they were stationed with,” Kimbrow stated. “It’s a very deep and moving experience. It was life-changing for me to be there with the support of my fellow veterans. It made me want to come back and join the Honor Tour Board.”
Kimbrow explained the guardians accompany veterans during the tour in able to help ensure they are able to get to all the different memorial locations they wish to visit.
“We take veterans from all of Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas,” Kimbrow said. “We even had Gerald Dougall come out from California to take this trip with his brother, Ray Dougall.”
“We’re honored to provide the continuance of the honor tour from this year and into the future,” Honor Tour Board President Tom Rankin said.
“I also want to thank every individual and business that donated to this,” Kimbrow added. “We couldn’t do this without them and their generosity.”