How Christine Collins went from planning travel to traveling with a purpose

The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp’s Travel Coordinator has planned many trips for the team over the years. But it only took one particular trip of her own to strengthen Christine Collins’ feelings about heroism.

On May 21, Christine took the ride of a lifetime after she was presented to accompany a Vietnam Veteran on a First Coast Honor Flight (FCHF). When she discovered the FCHF, she knew that she wanted to experience the flight, not only to reinforce her military roots, but to help promote the organization.

Collins’ military background stems from her dad’s time serving in the US Army and the Vietnam War, and her husband and son still being active in the military, this trip hit home for her.

The First Coast Honor Flight Network’s main goal is to take World War II, Vietnam, and Korean Veterans to experience the nation’s never-ending gratitude towards them and their service. Collins was able to do that for her Veteran, Bill, along with all of the other Veterans in their group.

“We [the Jumbo Shrimp] are partnering up to help them market [The Honor Flight Network],” Collins said. “And through that, it came up that they were looking for Guardian volunteers.”

Being a Guardian, according to the First Coast Honor Flight website, is to ensure that every Veteran has a safe and memorable experience. Collins and her Veteran, Bill, a former Marine, successfully fulfilled that mission. Collins said she only briefly met Bill two weeks before the flight but throughout the day they built a strong relationship that Christine now describes as a forever, family friendship.

The forever part of their friendship really hit her once she got back to Jacksonville; during their busy day together in Washington, Bill offered her a hard candy, which Christine accepted. Bill silently noted that Christine said her favorite were the green Jolly Ranchers candies. A few days later, following the Honor Flight, Christine received a package full of green Jolly Ranchers and knew that it was from her new friend, Bill.

In total, there were 25 Veterans on Collins’ flight, and when they were at the airport, they were greeted by cheering supporters and other celebratory volunteers wishing them well for their exciting day.

Throughout the day, they visited the World War II, Vietnam, and Korean War memorials, which for some of the Veterans was their first time seeing the memorials dedicated to their service. It led to some emotional viewings.

“To see one of the Veterans point to a name and say, ‘that was my buddy,’ it drives the whole thing home,” Collins said. “It's not just a name, it's someone that they knew.”

Along with the memorials, they also visited Arlington’s National Cemetery to see the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was not Collins’ first visit there, but she had a more emotional experience when she was with the Veterans.

“Just getting to listen to, not just our assigned Veterans but everyone, to listen to their stories and also to see how they interacted [with each other] because they didn't know each other before,” said Collins. “And now, they have become friends through this process. Seeing the camaraderie and also the inner service rivalry among these Veterans, seeing that they can still remember the feelings and the emotions and that they were able to talk about that amongst the others that understood, because they were talking to their brothers and sisters in arms, was really rewarding.”