REDMOND — The Honor Flights for armed forces veterans to visit national war memorials is on once again.

Some 25 veterans from Central Oregon, their guardians and administrative people plan to fly out of Redmond Airport on Sept. 22, after a yearlong delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This will be the long-promised inaugural flight from Redmond, organizers say.

“We are going to fly out of our home town of Redmond, Oregon,” declared Dane Prevatt, Honor Flight of Central Oregon organizer. “We reserved dates with Alaska Airlines for Sept. 22 to D.C., returning on Sept. 25. We had to make a hasty decision on flight dates, we don’t usually fly in the fall, so we tried to pick the best dates based on weather, kids back in school, and hopefully we got around other major events that happen in the D.C. area in the fall.”

The group plans to visit the World War II Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War and Vietnam War memorials as well as the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps memorials and Arlington National Cemetery. Visitors will also witness the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Tours include the Pentagon, the National Archives and possibly a private tour of the U.S. Capitol.

“The Capitol could be tricky due to the recent security issues,” Prevatt said. “However, if we are not able to, we may visit Mount Vernon instead.”

A media person will be onboard to document the event.

Trips are free to the vets, but guardians who help them along the way pay $1,200. Overall, cost to Central Oregon Honor Flight is about $70,000 for the airline tickets, wheelchair rentals, bus transportation, meals and hotel rooms. A medical doctor and a nurse will travel with the group.

The organizers continue to fundraise and seek donors, but now that a new date is set, there will be more fundraising activity.

Vietnam veterans will be allowed along on this trip for the first time, too.

Prevatt, who works for Dutch Bros coffee, says the company has contributed about $50,000 over several years of the flights, which have usually left from Portland.

“We want to leave from Redmond so the local contributors can see our veterans off from our airport, and be here when they return. It will help with our fundraising efforts,” Prevatt said.

Prevatt, 48, was a Marine corporal, 1st Battalion, moving to Bend in 2008.

“I met Dick Tobiason in 2015 and went on an honor flight as a team leader and was hooked ever since.” In 2017 he joined the board and became the group’s local president.

For more details, go to www.honorflightofcentraloregon.org

Honor Flight of Central Oregon is accepting applications for next flight to Washington, D.C. for Korean War and Vietnam Veterans.

A veteran must have served anywhere in the Armed Forces between Nov. 1, 1955 to April 30, 1975, and live within Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties, not have visited the National Vietnam Veteran Wall in the past, and be physically able to travel and have a guardian.

Applications for veterans, guardians and volunteers are available at www.honorflightofcentraloregon.org/board-portal/