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Honor Flight gives WW2 vets a chance to see memorial

By Kathy Stewart

WASHINGTON – They are often called the “Greatest Generation,” and on Saturday, about 700 World War II veterans finally got to see the D.C. memorial that had been built and dedicated to them in 2004.

Some of these veterans, who are between 84 and 100 years old, never thought they’d be able to be here to experience this. But “Honor Flight” made this day possible.

Earl Morse, founder of Honor Flight, says, “It’s a celebration of liberty. Because these men and women who are gathered here, collectively and literally, saved the world.” The nonprofit has flown about 110,000 WWII veterans to the memorial for free from all across the country.

“We have a very narrow window of opportunity. But we have over 20,000 World War II veterans on the waiting list,” Morse says. “And every one of them deserves to see their memorial.” It’s a battle against the clock, he says, since every day about 640 World War II veterans die.

Francis Buchanan, from Fall River, Mass., led a heavy machine gun squad with the 30th Infantry Division during the war, and says he “just kicked 87. My birthday was D-Day, June the sixth.” Buchanan survived the battle, but “I never thought I’d live to see” the memorial, he says.

Just before Buchanan headed to see the memorial for the first time, a crowd gathered around his wheelchair, asking about the medals on his chest.

“This one I got for, one morning a group of tanks came through. We were in fox holes outside in the woods of Bastogne,” in Belgium, Buchanan says. The lead tank, he remembers, started blasting everything in sight.

That’s when he rolled under the tank and attached a magnetic mine to the gas tanks. “It got about 50 yards down the road and it went up like a skyrocket,” he says.

Buchanan was blown away by all the people coming up to him on Saturday and thanking him for his service to our country.

Carl Sell, from Connecticut, was struggling with being at the memorial.

“I’m excited by being here and then there’s a certain, shall I say, sorrow when you think of how many guys didn’t come back,” he says.

General Colin Powell spoke to the vets, saying, “You guys, you ladies and all those who served alongside of you – thank you, God bless you. We thank you for freedom and democracy throughout the world and for serving your country.” He added that they inspired generations of officers, soldiers, airmen and marines.

Honor Flight made its first flight in 2005. “We took off in six little planes and we flew 12 veterans,” says Morse, a pilot. The next month, they had eight planes and flew 16 veterans. But on Saturday alone, Morse says, they flew nearly 700 veterans to visit the memorial. Now, they use commercial planes to transport the veterans.

See the trailer for a documentary about Honor Flight:

Correction: A previous version of this story misspelled the name of Earl Morse, the founder of the honor flight.

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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