Government shutdown forces Quad Cities veterans to adjust Honor Flight plans
Government shutdown forces Quad Cities veterans to adjust Honor Flight plans
The government shutdown reached its 28th day this morning, forcing the Honor Flight of the Quad Cities to adjust its long-planned trip to Washington, D.C.
Organizers said the flight was scheduled a year in advance, with charter buses, planes and applications arranged well before the shutdown began. But with federal funding halted, several attractions are closed, pushing the group to make changes.
The National Air and Space Museum — one of 21 Smithsonian museums now down — was on the group’s original itinerary. Instead, the 86 veterans and their chaperones will focus on visiting outdoor memorials that are still accessible without tour guides, such as the 9/11 and Marine Corps memorials.
“[The shutdown is] just a hurdle we have to go over. Every time you do anything in the military, there are hurdles to go over. This is just one,” said Stephen Garrington, director of Honor Flight of the Quad Cities.