ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) — It is an annual spring and fall tradition for nearly two dozen military veterans. The Central and Southwest Virginia Honor Flight offers vets a weekend in our nation’s capital.

The Central and Southwest Virginia Honor Flight is part of over 125 hubs across the country forming the Honor Flight Network. These hubs and their volunteers truly make the mission a success. For Martin Leamy of The Central and Southwest Virginia Honor Flight it is a labor of love to plan these trips for the military veterans.

“We have to coordinate a hotel we have to coordinate the bus charter bus we cause we’re really honor drive or not honor flight because we’re so close to Northern Virginia area. It’s just it’s more practical from a time standpoint, and from our financial standpoint,” said Leamy.

Leamy said there is a reason they pick the two particular weekends to honor our nation’s heroes with the trip of a lifetime.

“We go on was called a Super Saturday and basically what that means is the weathers not too hot not too cold it’s just right that’s why we go in October and April,” said Leamy.

Leamy says the lifelong bonds between the vets and their guardians as well as the healing and closure for the military veterans is what makes these honor flight trips important.

“There was a female Vietnam Vet on the trip and at the end of the trip she said you know I didn’t realize I needed this. I didn’t realize I needed closure but after the trip you know it became very apparent to me that I’ve been needing this for years and you all provided the opportunity for that to happen for me,” said Leamy.

Honor Flight Network currently honors those who served during World War II, The Korean War, The Vietnam War, and veterans of any service era who are critically ill.

The Central and Southwest Virginia Honor Flight will leave from the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford Friday morning. Kathlynn Stone and Rhian Lowndes will be on the bus with the veterans.

We will have complete coverage this special trip over the weekend and next Tuesday in our Veterans Voices segment on WFXR.