Veterans honored while departing TPA on Parade of Heroes trip to Washington, D.C.

Tampa International Airport teams and community organizers came together in a heartfelt show of gratitude as veterans departed for a special “Parade of Heroes” trip to Washington, D.C., ahead of Veterans Day.

Put together by the Florida Elks Association, the annual trip gives veterans the chance to visit some of the nation’s most meaningful landmarks and memorials, including the Lincoln Memorial, the World War II Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This year’s group also received a rare and memorable opportunity: after 16 years of the program, the veterans were able to visit the White House, thanks to an arrangement by U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna.

As the veterans prepared to board their Southwest Airlines flight, the Tampa International Airport Police Color Guard stood at attention to honor their service. TSA officers and Tampa International Airport Police also helped support the departure, joining airport employees and volunteers in sending the group off with applause, gratitude and well wishes.

Rudy Masi, a past state president with the Florida Elks Association who helped organize the trip, said the experience is designed to make the veterans the center of attention.

“Our goal is to make it all about them, to recognize and thank them for their service,” Masi said.

He said the trip often means far more than a sightseeing visit.

“It’s honoring, it’s recognition, it’s letting them know that they’re not forgotten,” Masi said. “What they did, they signed their names, put their lives on the line. None of that is forgotten.”

Masi added that these trips can also be deeply meaningful and healing for the veterans involved.

“A lot of healing takes place on these trips,” he said. “We go up to the Wall and a lot of good things happen.”

The group includes veterans from different eras and service backgrounds, among them Douglas Lang of Viera, a peacetime sailor who served in the Navy. Lang said he was grateful for the opportunity and looked forward to the experience in Washington.

“This is an opportunity to visit all these wonderful statues and monuments they have in the D.C. area,” Lang said. “I’m really looking forward to the White House trip, hoping it takes place.”

He said one of the most meaningful parts of the journey is the chance to connect with others.

“It means meeting people like I’ve been meeting here,” Lang said. “You get to meet a lot of great people, all with stories.”

For 98-year-old Sterns Poor, a Marine veteran, the trip is especially personal. Poor said he has participated in the program before and still vividly remembers the honor of placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

“I thought I was going to melt right into this concrete,” Poor said. “When I stepped back and they played taps, I thought I was going to faint. My knees were shaking. I was so excited and honored to be doing that.”

Poor said the response veterans receive on these trips is often overwhelming, especially when people see them out in public.

“People clamor just to get close to us,” he said, recalling a trip to France for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. “It touched us. I was overwhelmed by that.”

He said the gratitude shown to veterans can be deeply moving and unforgettable.

“They couldn’t thank us enough for saving their lands,” Poor said. “I feel humbled and honored. I want to reach out and thank them all.”

Poor said moments like those remind veterans that their service still matters and that their sacrifices are remembered.