The nonprofit Fisher House Foundation administers the “Hero Miles” program in partnership with the Department of Defense in accordance with Public Law 108-375, Section 585, the FY 05 Defense Authorization Act. The program is comprised of individual airlines whose passengers donate their frequent flyer miles to assist service members and their families. Specifically, Fisher House Foundation provides free airline tickets to wounded, injured, and ill military men and women who are undergoing treatment at a military or VA medical center and to attend authorized events.

With the support of companies like Ceradyne, the Hero Miles program has provided more than 25,000 tickets to service members and their families, worth nearly $35 million (average savings per ticket is currently about $1,400).

In August, 2011, the Ceradyne donation coordinator received the following thank you from the Hero Miles Program Director:

“I cannot begin to thank you for your generous donation.  Just so you know, I am sitting here booking tickets for family members of the Navy Seals and Flight Crew of the Chinook Helicopter that crashed in Afghanistan last week.  We have had an overwhelming cry for help to get families to the funerals and memorials of these men.  Having said, my phone just rang and it was the Department of the Army Casualty office.  (In addition to our fallen soldiers, they handle the transfer of all the injured troops overseas.)  I just booked three tickets to fly the father, mother and a sibling of a soldier who stepped on an IED and as a result has lost both his legs.  This all may be more than you want or really need to know, but I want you to realize the impact your donation makes to the men and women fighting for our freedom.  On behalf of those who are fighting for their lives and some of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this country, thank you.”