UK to Sponsor Honor Flight in the Spring

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 11, 2016) — On Saturday, May 20, the University of Kentucky will become the first university in the country to sponsor an Honor Flight.

The University of Kentucky has a long and storied tradition of supporting the young men and women who have answered the call to duty. Memorial Hall and Memorial Coliseum, two prominent structures on the university's campus, stand as stalwart tributes of gratitude to those who died while wearing our nation’s uniform; but, our gratitude extends far beyond the walls of those iconic buildings. 

A more recent addition to UK's campus is the new 2,000-square-foot Veterans Resource Center located in Erikson Hall. It is a testament to the university's continued support of the nation's military veterans and desire to see them succeed in higher education.

Today, UK will honor its veterans with the annual observance ceremony at 11 a.m., at the Main Building. This year’s observance will highlight the new center on campus, as well as announce to the campus community UK’s commitment to all of those who have served. As a tangible display of that commitment and gratitude, UK is very proud to announce that it will be the first institution of higher education in the country to sponsor an Honor Flight!

The mission of Honor Flight is to ensure that veterans have the opportunity to see their memorials in Washington, D.C. World War II veterans are the priority passengers, followed by Korean War and then Vietnam War veterans. UK’s flight is scheduled for May 20, 2017 — Armed Forces Day. 

The flight is 100 percent privately funded in order to provide a cost-free experience for the veteran. UK's first priority will be our UK alumni who have served their country, followed by UK retirees and finally family members of UK's current faculty and staff. To find out more about this exciting initiative and how to become involved, visit www.uky.edu/honorflight.

For more information or any questions, please contact vetcenter@uky.edu.