A new, local nonprofit will soon begin offering bus trips for veterans to visit Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial.
The first trip from Jefferson City to Perryville is planned for October.
Mid-MO Veterans Express will provide the day trips and lunches at American Legion Post 133 in Perryville free of charge.
The Perryville memorial, a replica of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., was built over the course of a year and was completed in 2018.
Darren Reuter, the director of Veterans Express, said the organization aims to take 100 veterans on each trek to Perryville.
The first trip is planned for Oct. 18. Veterans Express plans to take four trips a year — two in the spring and two in the fall.
Reuter said Veterans Express’ goal is “to honor our Vietnam-era veterans,” adding they have “been the backbone” for welcoming home veterans since Desert Storm.
“I really think this is going to be a great thing to do for our community,” Reuter said.
Openings during each trip are first-come, first-serve. If more than 100 veterans sign up for a trip, the organization will likely prioritize Vietnam veterans who had “boots on the ground.”
Jim Rosenberg, a member of the Veterans Express executive board, said the nonprofit plans to have two registered nurses and a medical bag available on each trip in case of an emergency.
Veterans who are interested in tracing names from the wall might have difficulty, as Reuter said “rubbings don’t really work as well there.” The memorial in Washington, D.C., is carved, while the memorial in Perryville is laser-etched.
Interested veterans can download an application on the Mid-MO Veterans Express website, mmvexpress.org.
Trips will be funded entirely through donations. Donations may be made via check to Mid-MO Veterans Express (which may be mailed to Mid-MO Veterans Express, 4925 Business 50 West, Jefferson City MO, 65109) with an online donation option to come soon.
The first trip is financed “quite well,” but more donations are needed to make it happen, Reuter said.
He said the idea for Veterans Express came during a conversation with Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe (when he was still a state senator) at the memorial’s grand opening in 2018. The conversation evolved to a point where it was suggested volunteers could bring veterans to the Perryville memorial.
Marine veteran Hal Dulle has been on the Honor Flight, a similar program, and has witnessed the impact the original Vietnam Memorial has on veterans.
“It is a healing process,” Dulle said, adding, “families are really gratified because their loved one was out there, all of a sudden he’s talking more about his military experience.”
Since the trip is shorter, Dulle suggests this is a great opportunity for veterans “who don’t fly or can’t make it to Washington.”
“This gives them an alternative to do it,” Dulle said.
Dulle said programs like Veterans Express are “instrumental” in providing tangible experiences to veterans.
“This is probably the best program I’ve ever seen,” Dulle said.
Rosenberg said the organization has Central Missouri Honor Flight’s blessing to carry out the trips, “but we are not them.”
“This is my way of giving back,” Rosenberg said.