Minnesota Air National Guard Members Inducted Into ‘Flight Of Honor’

DULUTH, Minn.– A ceremony was held Thursday to recognize the efforts and sacrifice of eight members of the Minnesota Air National Guard.

Family and friends gathered at the 148th Fighter Winter in Duluth to celebrate the Flight of Honor Induction ceremony.

The airmen are being inducted for acts of notable service, heroism and dedication.  Their names are also part of a monument.

For one airmen, it was about honoring his late wife.

“I’m sad that she’s not here to accept it herself. But I’m honored to accept it in her step. She is able to be recognized by others, others recognizing what she’s done to help. And be the best she could’ve been,” said Bruce Fehringer, husband of late CMSGT Stephanie Y. Fehringer.

This celebration also highlighted those who served decades to the Air Force.

“To be honored is a humbling experience. I like to try to keep a low profile. But also, I’ve had a lot of great people around me, that made life better for those people in the veteran community,” Col Thomas Simonet. He served 36 years in the Air National Guard.

The Minnesota Air National Guard has two main bases across the state located in Duluth and Minneapolis-St. Paul. They perform six unique missions while training and preparing the citizen Airmen to respond to the governor of Minnesota for state emergencies or the call of the president in times of crisis.