News and Press Releases
One Million Guests Served
The military and Veterans lounges at Detroit Metro Airport celebrates crossing the one-millionth-guests-served mark
February 13, 2025 – DETROIT METRO AIRPORT – The One Millionth guest of the Michigan Freedom Center came through the doors this week just as quietly as all those before them, looking for a peaceful, honoring, and welcoming place of rest between flights at Detroit Metro Airport.
The way it’s supposed to be.
The Michigan Freedom Center, also known as the Michigan Armed Forces Hospitality Center, has been Serving Those Who Serve Us since November of 2011. Located near gate A43 at McNamara, and gate D17 in the Evans Terminal, the MI Freedom Center has been a place where volunteers on a daily basis have provided care, comfort and courtesy to traveling military and their families, ranging from active-duty, to Veterans, to NATO Forces, Reservists and our National Guard.
"Serving one million guests is a monumental milestone,” said Ken Pratt, founder of the Freedom Center, a career U.S. Air Force pilot and former Delta Air Lines pilot, and Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Directors. “However, the real celebration is to honor the hundreds of volunteers that have made this milestone a reality. I have always maintained that the volunteers are the "life blood" of this organization. From before dawn until late at night – and sometimes throughout the night – the volunteers are there to open the door and greet our guests. A big thank you goes to all of these selfless and passionate volunteers who have dedicated their time and efforts to ‘serving those who serve us.’
“But serving one million guests is just the beginning,” Pratt added. “We're looking forward to serving many millions more. With the continued support of our community of sponsors, donors and volunteers, we will reach that goal.”
In 2024 alone, nearly 10,000 hours of operation were staffed by volunteers, keeping the Centers open for multiple 4-hour shifts beginning at 6:00 a.m. and running into the evening hours.
It’s often said that the general public is able to say ‘thank you’ to our military by supporting the service of our volunteers who distribute water, coffee, snacks and other comfort items, while the Centers provide free Wi-Fi, recliners for resting, a television, a flight monitor board, tables and chairs for games or laptop work and the like.
“As a way to thank and offer gratitude to our nation’s one percent, the MI Freedom Center provides a dignified, quiet place of rest, comfort and courtesy for those who have given their selfless commitment to us,” said Executive Director Mark Ernst. “Many of our guests don’t have the luxury of an exclusive airline club. Our mission is privately funded through the generous support of investors like Delta Air Lines, foundations, organizations and individuals who help us to meet our annual operating budget.”
The One Millionth guest was identified this week as Lt Col (Ret) Larry McKillop, who served in the U.S. Air Force and was on his way from Detroit to Denver. He has logged over 16,000 hours of flight experience in aircraft ranging from F-16s in the Air Force, (formerly stationed at Selfridge ANGB in Macomb Co.) to private crop dusters. He has been a multiple-time guest at the MI Freedom Center over the years.
How It Began:
“During the Christmas season of 2009-2010 one of the Delta Ticket Agents, Paul Krystyniak, proposed that Delta employees could staff a temporary military lounge for two weeks around the holidays,” Pratt explained. “As a service member myself I volunteered to support this activity. During the 14 days that area was open we logged in some 1500 guests.
“The next year (Christmas season 2010-2011) the Delta employees renewed their efforts and again opened the (temporary) military lounge. This time we served more than 2000 guests over a three-week period.
Pratt said this was the impetus and proof there was a definite need for this type of service at DTW which was not otherwise being met.
“So, in the spring of 2011 we embarked upon the uncharted course of setting up a fulltime military lounge,” he said. “It was a big undertaking. At the same time, along the way we were blessed with the right people, the right ideas and the right resources each step of the way. I refer to the development of the Freedom Center as ‘a series of minor miracles.’ Six months later we opened the doors and welcomed our first guests in November, 2011."
The Next Million:
The MI Freedom Center’s One Million milestone is very important and it shows the military lounge is appreciated by our guests! Please join us in honoring the next million guests who have given so much to our communities, states and nation.
To get ready for our next One Million we need to refurnish and maintain the quality of the Freedom Centers we have in each terminal. Anyone can imagine if they had one million guests come through their house it could also be in need of some TLC and updating. The MI Freedom Centers are looking for partner donors to help us replace worn furniture, update our lounge spaces and provide a high quality experience for our guest travelers who have given so much!
More information can be found at: www.mifreedomcenter.org
Eagle Scout American Flag Project Presented to Michigan Freedom Center
Oct. 5, 2020
The Eagle has landed.
Eagle Scout candidate Cameron Korman, a senior at Troy High School, spent countless hours this past summer creating and hand-building a gorgeous wood and glass cabinet to display a very special American Flag at the Detroit Metro Airport Michigan Armed Forces Hospitality Center, a.k.a. MI Freedom Center.
The presentation was made Oct. 6 at his Troop’s weekly meeting in Troy, surrounded by Troop leaders and about three dozen Boy Scouts. Fox 2 News in Detroit was there to capture the event as well, where Cameron said that both of his grandparents had fought in the U.S. Military and how he believes that Veterans today don’t get the full credit they deserve for the sacrifices made, and he hopes the American Flag display case brings honor to all.
“We owe our lives to them and I am so grateful,” Korman told his fellow Troop members before officially handing over the display cabinet.
The flag itself was a donation of Mr. Frank Sinagra, retired Capt. in the U.S. Marine Corp. who lives in Canton. The flag first came from a 2016 Memorial Day service in Ann Arbor where he gave an address to the crowd, and it represents all fallen servicemen and women from all wars.
In mid-2016 Sinagra embarked on a trip to Vietnam with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), to search for a missing Marine. During a stopover in Hawaii he stayed at Hickman AFB, which overlooks Battleship Row at Pearl Harbor, and was the first military base hit by the Japanese nation on Dec. 7, 1941.
While in Vietnam on the search mission, the flag was flown at Hickman AFB. The flag is currently on loan to the Michigan Freedom Center. The display case also has five photographs supplied by Sinagra showing it flying at Hickman Field and then being folded the traditional 13 times.
“This is an awesome opportunity for us to have interaction with Scouts and to show their leadership ability,” said Bernie Girardot, new Executive Director of the MI Freedom Center. “To receive a flag that actually flew over Hickman Field is awesome; Hickman Field was one of the first bases hit (at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941) so it makes this especially profound.
“My own son is an Eagle Scout so I know the amount of effort that goes into this, the planning, the raising of the finances to getting the materials and laying it all out, getting it past the committee. This is a big deal for Scouts and I couldn’t be prouder of Cameron.”
Korman was particularly thankful for all the guidance he received, money donated for materials (for which the left over will make a nice donation to the MI Freedom Center) and for a project opportunity tied to both the military and the airport.
“So many people have come together during this time of unrest (Covid-19) to help me,” he said. “I was about to age out for my Eagle Scout project and a lot of people came together (with help and finances) and really wanted me to get this.
“I don’t know if I will join the Armed Forces but I do want to become a commercial pilot, and right now I’m working on my private pilot license.”
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