High-flying Thanks to our Military!

For the past three years, Southwest has provided the opportunity for our Customers and Southwest Employees to write their well wishes and encouraging words on patriotic cards themed Service, Honor, Sacrifice, and Celebrate.  These themes sum up Southwest’s commitment to our men and women in uniform during November, dubbed Military Heroes Month, and all year long.

The card campaign takes place today, Veterans Day.   I am currently in the Southwest No Limits Internship Program and had the responsibility of distributing 22,000+ cards to all Southwest Airports and the first flights on Veteran’s Day.  You may see me flying around today as I accompany 50 of these cards as they are given out onboard one of the flights to Southwest Customers to write thoughts and good wishes.  The cards are then collected and sent to deployed Soldiers by a nonprofit organization Southwest supports, A Million Thanks.  The Military Card Campaign is just one of the many ways Southwest supports and honors our military on Veterans Day and during Military Heroes Month, a time for sharing our gratitude and remembering their sacrifice for all of us.

When I was presented with this project and realized the scope of mailing out 22,000 cards and supplies needed for all Southwest airports and originator flights, I saw it as a daunting task, but also an honor.  I grew up within earshot of Fort Hood, Texas, and was raised to respect our military families and their life of service to our country.  They not only put their lives on the line, but willingly are separated from their loved ones when duty calls.  Truly it was my honor to participate in this program, and be a small part of sharing America’s voice with our Soldiers.

For our Military Heroes who have or are serving I hope that these messages of honor and gratitude will lift some weight from their shoulders, or at least help them bear their burdens easier.  I encourage everyone to take the time to write your thanks today and every day, either through the Southwest Military Card Campaign or send a personal card on your own, and honor our men and women in uniform.  How do you honor those that have served or are serving?  A picture tells a thousand words, so show us in photos what honoring our military means to you using the hashtags  #Honor and #MilitaryHeroes.