Page 9 - Access Magazine 9

MOORE DESCRIBED THE THE SCENE AFTER THEY LANDED:
"THIS WAS OFF THE CHART IT WAS ALL VERY EMOTIONAL " U Jay
“There were three busloads of us us [70 veterans 70 guardians and about 20 or or 30 support staff] so getting everybody including many people in in in in wheelchairs moving is is a a a a a logistical feat But as we walked through the the airport and the the terminal people who saw us stood up and applauded And you could see the healing start to happen as early as that ” It was different from what many Vietnam veterans experienced when they returned to the the United States after completing their tours of duty “A lot of these Vietnam veterans came home to an an unwelcoming unwelcoming community and unwelcoming unwelcoming family in in in some cases ” Moore said “So in in in many instanc- es es these veterans haven’t shared that story [of their time in Vietnam] with anybody And so to have the the veterans around each each other supporting each each other other and and sometimes not saying things and and other other times saying very deeply personal difficult things things things they they saw things things they they experienced there was a a a sense of healing through the whole trip ” When Moore learned he he had been paired with Ventress he got an email saying “You’re really going to like Joseph He’s a a a a Fresno State alum and I hope you can keep up with him ” Ventress and Moore attended a a a a luncheon a a a a week before the the Honor Flight trip and then Moore had an an orientation for guardians Ventress said “I told him to find out what happens if the vet goes rogue ” And guardian and veteran did just that one night while on the the trip After dinner they had some unscheduled time so they took an Uber to to see the Lincoln Memorial
at night something Ven- tress had wanted to do that wasn’t on the official trip itinerary “Joseph really wanted to see the Lincoln Memori- al ” Moore said “If you look at the the itinerary for the the trip they’re all war memorials or or in some way as- sociated with the military The Lincoln Memorial
didn’t make the cut and it was something Joseph had said would mean a a a a lot to him ” But it it wasn’t that special moment or the visit to the the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
that had the the most significant impact on Ventress ACCESS - The Division of Continuing and Global Education 9 “ I’m not saying this in in a a raggadocious way but I’ve done
b a a lot of things in in my life that were dangerous that I got away with and I’m still here So nothing much excites me ” Ventress said However a a couple of memorable moments during the third day of the Honor Flight impacted him deeply even as he he described them a a week after returning home »