BAY MINETTE, Ala. — America is losing approximately 1,000 World War II veterans every day, veterans who have never seen the memorial in Washington, D.C. dedicated to them and their service to this country.

A program called Honor Flight is changing that. Dr. Barry Booth addressed the Bay Minette City Council Monday night to tell members about Honor Flight and invite them to participate.

"Honor Flight flies World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., up and back," Booth said. "This is for any veteran, regardless of their medical condition."

Booth said guardians are solicited to accompany the veterans and be their escort for the day.

"A guardian is assigned to one or three veterans. If the veteran is in a wheelchair, then it's one to one, otherwise it's three veterans per guardian," he said.

"As a guardian, you're not on tour. You are there to nourish those vets, to meet their needs all day."

The purpose of Honor Flight is to get the veterans, who otherwise would not be able to go, to the World War II Memorial.

"Cost and health are what generally keeps them from seeing their memorial," Booth said.

He said this was one way to honor these men and their service to the United States of America.

"Sixteen million served, 400,000 died," he said.

The next trip is scheduled for May 6. Booth gave an overview of the trip to the council and invited them to become guardians.

"Approximately 90 veterans will be on that first flight. There is a pre-flight introduction for the 90 veterans and their 40 or so guardians.

"We will leave Mobile about 7 a.m. and arrive at Reagan (Airport). We will load the veterans on a bus, and a police escort will take us to the World War II Memorial.

"Then we'll go on to the Korean, Vietnam, Lincoln and Iwo Jima memorials," he said.

"Our last stop will be Arlington where we will participate in a private ceremony for the laying of the wreath and changing of the guards."

He said the group will return to Mobile at approximately 7 p.m. He said the veterans' arrival at Reagan and in Mobile would include much fanfair, including bands and current soldiers, family and friends and banners.

"This is to honor the generation that gave us peaceful streets," Booth said.

The trips are free to all veterans, Booth was adamant that no veteran put out any money for the trip. Guardians, however, must pay the $485 fee to accompany the veterans.

Honor Flight began in May 2005 in Springfield, Ohio, where six planes took 12 World War II veterans to the memorial.

In August 2005, responding to an ever-growing list of veterans who wished to participate, the program switched to commercial flights.

It then partnered with HonorAir in Hendersonville, N.C., to form the Honor Flight Network.

The Honor Flight idea was conceived by Earl Morse, a physician assistant and retired Air Force captain.

When the memorial was comleted in 2004, Morse began talking with his patients who were veterans of the war and asked them if they planned to see the memorial.

Though most said they would find a way to get there, time made them realize that it just wasn't going to happen.

"It was clear to most that it simply wasn't financially or physically possible for them to make the journey," states the Honor Flight Web site.

A private pilot, and member of one of the nation's largest aero clubs, Morse decided to do something to get the veterans to their memorial.

Booth offered to fly some of the veterans over there himself.

After receiving an overwhelming response from the veterans, Booth asked for help from other pilots.

Finally, in May 2005, the inaugural flight took 12 veterans to D.C. By the program's fourth year, pilots took 11,137 veterans to the nation's capitol.

"Honor Flight Network has established an aggressive goal for 2009. We want to transport 25,000 veterans from across the United States to the World War II Memorial," the Web site states.

Booth's primary purpose for addressing the council was to ask for a resolution that would make May 6 Honor Flight Day. A second flight will possibly take place in October.

A question on Mayor Jamie Tillery's mind, that was adressed during the work session immediately preceeding the council meeting had to do with resolutions versus ordinances.

"I have asked (city attorney) Scotty (Lewis) to clarify the difference between a resolution and ordinance, and generally go over procedural issues," she said.

Lewis began by informing the council that much of what they did was over-think issues that came before them.

"I think we twist ourselves up every meeting trying to overthink things," he said.

He went on to explain that while the terms resolution and ordinance are often interchanged, there is a difference.

"The first thing you have to ask is what's the purpose behind the action you're going to take," he said. "Does it affect the general public and is it enforceable until repealed by some other action? Then it's an ordinance," he said.

"If it's of special interest, such as paying bills, purchase of real property, contract for services, then it's a resolution," he added.

He said it boils down to whether the action is permanent and general in nature, or specific in nature. Permanent and general equals an ordinance, specific takes the form of a resolution.

Lewis also addressed the council's tendency to vote on first and second readings of ordinances.

"You really don't need to vote on both readings," he said. "Until you've cleared all the hurdles relating to the ordinance, the first reading should be read and considered.

"At the next meeting the body takes action on the ordinance," he said.

Lewis said the reason for that is that some things could change between the first reading and the second.

"I think you could have a situation where things change between the first vote and the second vote and that could cause some problems," he said.

The attorney said there are instances where an ordinance can be voted on during the first reading.

"If for some reason it needs to be voted on at the first reading, then the council must unanimously agree on (voting), then the body can vote on it."

He said ordinances that may not need to be voted on that evening, but do need to be voted on before the next meeting can be addressed during a special-called meeting.