[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 167 (Tuesday, October 9, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1387]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SALUTING BILL AND SUE WELSER FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO OUR NATION'S 
                                VETERANS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BILL POSEY

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 9, 2018

  Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to recognize 
Bill and Sue Welser for their leadership in the Space Coast Honor 
Flight program, which serves Florida's Brevard and Indian River County 
veterans.
  Space Coast Honor Flight is a non-profit organization that honors our 
World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans by taking them to 
visit their war memorials in Washington, D.C.
  A retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General, Bill first became 
involved with the Honor Flight Network when he volunteered to serve as 
a guardian for a WWII veteran on the local chapter's second flight. 
This moving experience led Bill to work with a small cadre of 
volunteers to develop and run what would eventually become Space Coast 
Honor Flight. Bill has served as the president of the organization for 
more than eight years.
  Seeing the profound impact that Space Coast Honor Flight has had on 
our veterans, Bill's wife, Sue, joined the board and quickly became an 
integral part of all its activities. Sue serves as one of the veteran 
coordinators for the organization and is responsible for helping to 
create honor flight experiences for hundreds of veterans.
  Bill and Sue have also tirelessly given their time to organizing 
Space Coast orientations, flight departure ceremonies, veterans' 
reunions, and luncheons across the Space and Treasure Coasts. They have 
spent countless hours visiting our veterans in nursing homes and 
hospitals. They have attended a number of funeral services for our 
veteran heroes--Space Coast Honor Flight is often the first to be 
called when our veteran families lose a loved one.
  For the past eight years, Bill and Sue have been responsible for 
organizing, scheduling, and leading 52 flights, allowing 1,375 veterans 
to spend time at their war memorials in Washington, D.C. Bill has 
pat1icipated in every single flight.
  One of the greatest privileges Katie and I have is greeting our 
veterans as they depart on their honor flight to our nation's capital 
or greeting them in Washington, D.C. as they arrive on the National 
Mall to visit their memorials. Our veterans' courage and service to the 
country has helped change the course of history and has protected 
America and the freedoms we hold dear. Hosting these honor flights is 
the least we can do to acknowledge their service, and I am thankful for 
the work that Bill and Sue have done to make these flights possible.
  I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me 
in saluting the passion, dedication, and commitment of Bill and Sue 
Welser. Their efforts and service honors our veterans each and every 
day and has been vital to the success of the Space Coast Honor Flight 
mission.

                          ____________________