Spirit Magazine - July 2013 - (Page 173)

Honoring Those Who Serve Baltimore Employees help make the dreams of American veterans come true. I love my job as a Southwest Airlines Customer Service Supervisor at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), and a favorite part of it is welcoming Honor Flight veterans with a sea of Customers and Employees, cheering and waving American flags. Nearly half a dozen Honor Flights fly into BWI every weekend, each one full of Heroes traveling to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorials dedicated to their brave service. Southwest is the official commercial carrier of Honor Flight, and I’m proud that we can provide free travel and use our airplane seats to help these veterans visit their memorials for the first time. When Honor Flight veterans arrive at BWI, my Team pulls out all the stops to ensure their Community Outreach TOUCH STONE Vietnam vets visit their memorial. trip is memorable by giving them a grand welcome and the recognition they truly deserve. It’s not unusual for our local fire department to welcome an Honor Flight with water cannons; we also invite active-duty military to be part of the welcome celebration, and they line up in the gate area to greet the veterans. I love seeing how excited our Customers are when we announce that an Honor Flight will be arriving soon. We watch Customers literally run to the gate to grab an American flag to help give these Heroes the red-carpet arrival they deserve. These brave men and women hold a very special place in my heart. I come from a military family—my father and brother both fought for America’s freedoms. My dad served in the U.S. Air Force and never had the chance to see his memorial. Every time I clap my hands to show my appreciation, wave an American flag out of respect, or shower these Heroes with LUV by making goodie baskets full of cookies and candy, I feel like I’m giving back to my dad. When the veterans deplane, they have no idea what’s waiting for them in the gate area. Seeing these Heroes react to the cheers with a little more pep in their step and seeing the brightness on their faces makes me proud that my Company supports the Honor Flight Network. You can learn more about this organization by visiting honorflight.org. —Sue Lee JULY 2013 SPIRIT 173

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spirit Magazine - July 2013

Spirit Magazine - July 2013
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Gary’s Greeting en Español
Star of the Month
Freedom Story
From the Editor
Your Words
Your Pictures
Media Center
Eat Drink Sleep
The Numbers
Business
Made in America
American Idol
Your Adventure In Baltimore
Life Adventure In Baltimore
Promotional Series: Spirit of Branson
Promotional Series: Spirit of Nevada
Promotional Series: Spirit of Health
Calendar
Fun!
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Route Map
Rapid Rewards Partners
Flight Service
The “If” List

Spirit Magazine - July 2013