When 84 Vietnam era veterans returned to Louisville late in the evening on April 21, they were met with something many had never experienced before. The airport terminal filled with applause, handwritten signs, and a community gathered to recognize their service and welcome them home.
As part of
Honor Flight offers more than a day of travel. It provides an opportunity to reflect, connect, and be acknowledged in ways that may not have occurred when they first returned from service. These shared experiences can play an important role in supporting veterans’ emotional health.
Supporting Well-Being Through Connection and Community
As the presenting sponsor of the April Honor Flight Welcome Home ceremony, Humana helped make this moment of recognition and reflection possible, aligning with the company’s commitment to supporting overall health and quality of life beyond clinical care. Rooted in its hometown of Louisville, Humana’s sponsorship reflects a belief that emotional connection, dignity, and community play an important role in overall health, particularly for those who have served.
Creating Space for Recognition That Was Missing
“This Honor Flight is made up of Vietnam era veterans, and for many of them, there was never a real welcome home,” said Humana associate Donnie Distler, a Navy veteran and a volunteer supporting the flight. “When they returned from service, it just didn’t exist. Honor Flight creates the space for that recognition to finally happen.”
Honor Flights are designed to bring veterans together for an experience centered on reflection, camaraderie, and respect. For Vietnam era veterans in particular, the significance often comes not from any single moment, but from being surrounded by others who share a common history of service.
“One of the things military members understand more than anything is community,” Distler said. “You go through hard things together, and that bond doesn’t just go away. Honor Flight gives veterans the chance to be back in that space, with people who understand, even if only for a moment.”
Humana Associates Show Up for Veterans
While the impact is personal for each veteran, Honor Flights rely on the collective support of community partners, volunteers, and organizations committed to supporting those who served. For this flight originating in Humana’s hometown of Louisville, associates across the company played an active role in supporting the Welcome Home experience, going beyond sponsorship to engage personally with the veterans being honored.
In the weeks leading up to the flight, Humana associates volunteered their time to create handwritten cards and letters for each veteran, offering personal words of appreciation and gratitude. Humana’s support extended throughout the Honor Flight journey. While the veterans were in Washington, D.C., CenterWell President Dr. Sanjay Shetty spent time meeting with the group, thanking them for their service and recognizing the importance of the experience.
“Talking to these veterans reminded me how important it is that we care for our veterans and their families after their service has ended,” Shetty said. “Veterans often face unique health challenges, and moments like this that create space for connection, reflection, and dignity can have a lasting impact on well-being.”
Back in Louisville, Humana associates once again gathered when the veterans returned home. Employees joined thousands of family members, volunteers, and community members at the airport to give the veterans the welcome home they deserve. Humana Chief Legal Officer Joe Ventura and President of Humana Military Douglas Edwards were among those present, helping mark the conclusion of the Honor Flight.
“Welcoming these veterans home is a powerful reminder that honoring service means showing up,” Ventura said. “It’s about being present, expressing gratitude, and helping create moments of recognition that veterans may not have experienced before.”
A Broader Commitment to Veterans and Military Families
Beyond Honor Flight, Humana works to support veterans and military families through veteran focused hiring practices, associate engagement groups such as the SALUTE Network Resource Group, partnerships with Veterans Service Organizations, and ongoing community service efforts designed to promote health, connection, and resiliency.
Reflecting on the importance of recognition, Distler noted the value of acknowledging service that may not have been fully recognized at the time.
“Being recognized validates what these veterans did,” he said. “It gives purpose and meaning to their service. It’s not that people didn’t care. It’s that this moment shines a light on them in a way that hadn’t happened before.”
That sense of recognition was echoed by veterans who participated in the Honor Flight. Distler served as a guardian on this flight for veteran Mike Rundle, who reflected on what the experience meant to him and the others who took part.
"I'd like to personally thank Humana for their support of the effort," Rundle said. "We all appreciate it and realize that there are people who care out there."
