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HonorAir announces next flight will honor women veterans

HonorAir Knoxville announced the April 2020 flight will honor East Tennessee women veterans giving them an opportunity to see the Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Washington DC built to honor their service.

The Women’s Memorial is the only major national memorial honoring all women who have defended America throughout history.

According to Eddie Mannis, Chairman of HonorAir, “This will be our 30th flight. I wanted to focus on women veterans as 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment that guaranteed and protected women’s constitutional rights and gave them the right to vote..”

The flight will also honor Avonia B. Thress of Hamblen County whose estate made a significant contribution to HonorAir.

Women have always been a part of the military since the Revolutionary War.

A prohibition on women serving in combat was in effect during the Vietnam War and beyond.

It was not until 2015 that all combat positions were open to them.

Consequently, the flight is open to women veterans with priority given to those serving their country through 1992 .

The flight is free of charge and includes a roundtrip flight to Washington DC on American Airlines, a bus tour of the military memorials, meals and snacks.

Interested veterans can go to honorairknoxville.com and download, complete and return the specific April 2020 application. Veterans can also call Jim Cundall at 865-719-8868 for more information.