Shuckin’ Shack Surf City, NC Owner to Honor World War II Veteran with Honor Flight
Air Force Veteran Jason Simas retired from service in 2012 and opened his own Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar franchise. Despite his retirement from service, he continues to serve his community and will be participating in a program to honor WWII veterans on April 29th.
Jason Simas is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and the owner of the Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar franchise located in Surf City, North Carolina. Simas was Shuckin’ Shack’s first-ever franchisee, opening the doors to his location in 2015.
Simas spent nearly 21 years in the Air Force in several different positions, from sales and marketing to recruitment, the Air Force Honor Guard and even a personal chef. While he has retired from the service, Simas still makes an effort to participate in military events when he can, including taking part in an Honor Flight. In his retirement, Simas acts as a guardian, and on April 29th he will be escorting World War II veteran Frank Foxx to the capitol to honor his service.
How did Jason Simas get involved with this amazing program? “I got involved with Honor Flight after being at the Wilmington airport by chance the morning of last year’s flight. Being retired military, I was familiar with “Honor Flights” in cities I was stationed at during my career. Once I found out about the local Cape Fear chapter I knew I wanted to get involved,” said Simas.
Frank Foxx is the father of a very good friend and Shuckin’ customer. His family brings him in regularly as our Wild Caught American Steamed Shrimp is one of his favorite meals.
“My role as a guardian is to ensure Mr. Foxx, as well as other Veterans attending, have a memorable experience. Honor Flights were created because so many veterans had never visited the monuments that were dedicated to their service. As a WWII veteran, Mr. Foxx is in a company of few, at 96 this visit to “his” monument is an opportunity to ultimately thank him for his service,” Simas added.
Honor Flights are programs that honor American military veterans for their sacrifices by providing them with a trip to visit and reflect at the memorials dedicated to their service in Washington, D.C. During the trip, the veterans are accompanied by volunteer guardians who assist them with their travel needs and ensure they have a safe and enjoyable experience.
To find out more about the Honor Flight program and how you can help honor our Veterans, visit Honor Flight Network – Honoring American Veterans.