Maize High School cheerleaders, along with many other community members and active duty military, welcome home war veterans from their trip with the Kansas Honor Flight. This trip flies war veterans to Washington D.C as a thank you for their service. 

“This was our way to show thanks for everything they’d done and for all the sacrifices they made,” said Staff Sergeant Anthony Feist, a Boom Operator for the 350 Air Refueling Squadron at McConnell Air Force Base,  “especially to the Veterans that whenever they came home originally from war, were not offered the respect and the gratitude that they deserved.  So I’m glad to be a part of a huge group out here to support them.”

As of Aug 25th, 2021, Kansas Honor Flight has flown out eighty times since the opening of its official base in 2012. This time, two World War II veterans, eight Korean War veterans, and 22 Vietnam War veterans were chosen to fly. 

“For a Vietnam Veteran, it means a lot because when we came home, nobody liked us. We weren’t allowed to wear our uniforms,” John Miller, a Vietnam War Veteran and active American Legion rider, said “we couldn’t carry our duffle bags, we came in unmarked vehicles to the airports and we were told to get our tickets, go straight to the gates, and not to stay in any public areas… We thank you for recognizing our efforts in the wars.”