The Good Life Magazine – September-October 2023

ON THE COVER | VETERANS HONOR FLIGHT
make it to the next flight, even if we are overbooked,
we put them on and fly our staff out earlier.”
Matejcek said that one of the unique benefits of Honor
Flight of ND/MN is the ability to stay overnight in D.C.
as many Honor Flights are only able to make a quick
day trip. “We’re one of the few Honor Flights who stay
overnight,” Matejcek said. “We are really privileged.”
As a nurse, Matejcek is responsible for reviewing
applicants’ health and obtaining doctors’ letters, and
additional resources needed to make the Veterans
comfortable on the three-day weekend.
Matejcek said two Veterans share a hotel room unless
they have an escort and are grouped by communities.
“So, hopefully when we get back they can have coffee
together and have lifelong friends. And that has been
so successful,” she said.
Matejcek said the first day is spent at the U.S. Army
Museum, World War II Memorial, and having a
banquet supper with a few surprises along the way. On
the second day, the Veterans are brought to Iwo Jima,
the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Vietnam
Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial,
Lincoln Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, and
the U.S. Air Force Memorial.
“The third day, we’ve done Fort McHenry, National
Archives and the U.S. Navy Memorial – it really is a
jammed-pack trip,” Matejcek said. The Honor Flight
team makes an effort to visit all the sites and has tried
several different approaches over the years to make
every veteran’s experience exceptional.
Coming Home
Ronald Nowacki, a Vietnam Veteran, who served in the
United States Army from 1970 to 1972 was stationed
in Da Nang and as one of his duties, he ran convoys
along the border. Mr. Nowacki was also awarded a
Bronze Star Medal for helping a wounded soldier to
safety.
In the spring of 2023, Mr. Nowacki traveled to
Washington with Honor flight, and at the time, was
20 | THE GOOD LIFE