Good Use For Frequent Flyer Miles

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2007 - Ten airlines are stepping up to the plate for families of injured servicemembers and encouraging their passengers to do the same.

"The president of CNN challenged his staff to do something over Memorial Day weekend," Jim Weiskopf, vice president of communications for the Fisher House Foundation, said. "They looked around at a couple options and they decided that they would like to do a drive to get us more 'Hero Miles.'"

The Fisher House Foundation is a member of America Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and corporations with military personnel and their families serving at home and abroad. It also administers the Defense Department's Hero Miles program, which provides free airline tickets to servicemembers injured during their service in Iraq or Afghanistan and their families.

To get the ball rolling, CNN contacted all 10 of the Hero Miles program's airline partners and asked if they would agree to a challenge. The airlines agreed to match every frequent flyer mile their passengers donate to the program between 6 a.m. May 25 and 11:59 p.m. May 28, Weiskopf said.

"As you might imagine, most of the ticketing we do is all at the last minute because it's all connected to medical emergencies," Weiskopf said. "Normally, the tickets we're getting today are for flights leaving tomorrow and the day after."

If servicemembers' families had to pay out of pocket, those tickets average more than $1,300 each. Considering Hero Miles has provided about 9,800 tickets, that's more than $12 million the program has been able to save servicemembers and their families, Weiskopf said. That's the equivalent of about 450 million miles in the three and a half years since the program began.

While Hero Miles makes sure any family member who wants to be at their servicemember's side can be, it also covers what Weiskopf terms "close friends."

"I use the terminology 'close friends' because if you're young and single, it's nice to have your mother and father there, but you probably really want your boyfriend or girlfriend," he said. "If that will help you recover, we'll bring them in."

The same is true for any other person -- pastor or former coach, for example -- in a servicemember's life who might inspire a speedy recovery, he said. He emphasized, however, that the tickets Hero Miles provides are for medically necessary travel only. Tickets for regular leave requests cannot be accommodated.

Though Hero Miles accepts donations of frequent flyer miles year-round, those who would like to make donations during this weekend when they'll count twice as much can find links on each of the participating airlines' Web sites. AirTran, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta, Frontier, Midwest Airlines, Northwest Airlines, United, and U.S. Airways are participating.

Links to these airlines also can be found on the Fisher House Foundation's "Hero Miles" Web page, www.fisherhouse.org/programs/heroMiles.shtml.

"We are so deeply appreciative for the generosity of the American flying public," Weiskopf said. "Individually, (the airlines) have all told us that this is perhaps the most meaningful frequent flyer program that they have been associated with in the history of the airline because (the miles) are going right to the people who need them most.


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American Airlines Honors Fallen Warriors

Employees of American Airlines in Nashville, Tn have designed a luggauge cart which will be used to transport the human remains of Fallen Warriors.

An American Airlines employee whose son is currently serving in the Navy got imput from his son and helped design the cart which will ensure all fallen military personell are treated with the respect deserved. I think they did an awesome job.

Shout Out to Mark and Brigette

At least a few times every week, I stop by my local Tiger Market in Hermitage, to get a cup of joe for the ride into work. Because of my frequent stops I have become friends with two of the best Tiger Market employees in Nashville, Mark and Brigettte. Every time I'm in the store the two of them are in good moods with a smile on their face.

Mothers Day Tribute

My sister forwarded the following Mother's Day tribute you to me. I thought it was hillarious and wanted to share it.

MOM writes;

So, we had this great 10 year old cat named Jack who just recently died.
Jack was a great cat and the kids would carry him around and sit on him and
nothing ever bothered him. He used to hang out and nap all day long on
this mat in our bathroom.

Well we have 3 kids and at the time of this story they were 4 years old,
3 years old and 1 year old. The middle one is Eli. Eli really loves
chapstick. LOVES it. He kept asking to use my chapstick and then losing
it. So finally one day I showed him where in the bathroom I keep my
chapstick and how he could use it whenever he wanted to but he needed to
put it right back in the drawer when he was done.

Last year on Mother's Day, we were having the typical rush around and try
to get ready for Church with everyone crying and carrying on. My two boys
are fighting over the toy in the cereal box. I am trying to nurse my
little one at the same time I am putting on my make-up. Everything is a mess and
everyone has long forgotten that this is a wonderful day to honor me and
the amazing job that is motherhood.

We finally have the older one and and the baby loaded in the car and I
am looking for Eli. I have searched everywhere and I finally round the corner
to go into the bathroom. And there was Eli. He was applying my chapstick
very carefully to Jack's . . . rear end. Eli looked right into my eyes and
said "chapped." Now if you have a cat, you know that he is right--their
little butts do look pretty chapped. And, frankly, Jack didn't seem to
mind. And the only question to really ask at that point was whether it was the
FIRST time Eli had done that to the cat's behind or the hundredth.

And THAT is my favorite Mother's Day moment ever because it reminds us
that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little creatures,
there will always be that day when you realize they've been using your
chapstick on the cat's butt.

Jim McGregor Story

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The story of a WWII B-24 bomber pilot. Jim McGregor was stationed with the 8th Air Force in England.