AI glasses will aid blind veterans on upcoming Honor Flight

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Meta is sponsoring Honor Flights, a travel mission that takes veterans to visit museums and memorials at the nation's capital. The next flight, scheduled for Sunday, is in honor of Veterans Day.

John Bockstanz, an innovation policy manager at Meta, said the company also donated 130,000 pairs of Meta glasses that use artificial intelligence to assist blind veterans. He said some veterans may use their glasses during their trip to Washington D.C.

"Veterans Day is a dedicated moment to express deep gratitude to the men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces," Bockstanz said. "Even while using their A.I. glasses in ways that empower them to see their surroundings, navigate around and appreciate these incredible memorials that were built to honor them."

Bockstanz said Meta is "deeply grateful" to service members, but helping veterans with their trip to D.C. comes with a personal touch for him.

"I served in the army before coming to Meta. had a chance to deploy to Iraq in 2010 and then Afghanistan in 2014, and I actually deployed out of Fort Hood here in Texas. It's amazing to be able to do something to recognize their incredible sacrifice for our country," he said.

Bockstanz explained that Meta chose a group of veterans to sponsor after several partnership events, including two in El Paso.

Sunday, veterans will leave from the El Paso International Airport and return on Veterans Day.

According to the Honor Flight Network, more than 300,000 veterans have gone on a trip to D.C. since 2005.