Vietnam veterans travel to Washington D.C. through Honor Flight Arizona

PHOENIX - A group of Vietnam veterans traveled to our nation's capital Monday thanks to Honor Flight Arizona.

Vietnam veteran Tom Collins saw a lot during his time serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

"I have a real long story, It’d take days to tell it," said Tom Collins III, a Vietnam War Prisoner of War. 

Tom was a fighter pilot in the war, but even with his time in the air, he's thrilled for his latest flight and a new type of mission. 

"I’m real honored to go on the Honor Flight," said Tom." I was kind of surprised to be nominated, so this is a great organization."

Honor Flight Arizona and its volunteers have flown more than 3,000 veterans to the nation's capital at no cost.

It even becomes a family affair for some. 

“I was in the air force but he was a marine," said Kris Ehlbeck, Air Force veteran. 

Kris Ehlbeck tends to downplay her role serving in the Air Force, but she may have had just as important of a job as anyone. 

"But I put toilet paper on the airplanes and barf bags," said Kris. "I had to do my job if they were gonna do theirs."

She never thought she'd be able to have an experience like this, let alone be able to share it with her son Robert. 

"He's my hero," said Kris. 

"The amount of women who served back then was a lot less than there is today, so I consider her kind of a trailblazer in that," said Robert Ehlbeck, U.S. Marines veteran.

The group will see the sights of D.C. along with a ton of war memorials and are ready for their adventure. 

They will return Thursday.