Recognizing the Service of Gold Star & Blue Star Families
Service members don’t serve alone. In neighborhoods across the country, military families display Gold Star and Blue Star Service Flags or symbols. Learn to recognize the families that also serve our country.
What is a Gold Star Family?
A Gold Star Family is the immediate family member(s) of a fallen service member who died while serving in a time of conflict.
How do you recognize a Gold Star Family?
A Gold Star Family can display a Gold Star Service Flag for service members who were killed or died, while serving in the Armed Forces, from causes other than dishonorable. The number of gold stars on the flag corresponds to with the number of individuals who were killed or died. A gold star is placed over the blue star on a Blue Star Service Flag so that the blue forms a border and creates Gold Star Service Flag.
The U.S. Department of Defense also issues Gold Star lapel pins to immediate family members of a fallen service member of the military. These pins are worn by spouses, parents, and children of service members killed in the line of duty and contain a gold star on a purple circular background.
What is a Blue Star Family?
A Blue Star Family consists of the immediate family member(s) of a service member during a time of conflict.
How do you recognize a Blue Star Family?
A Blue Star Family can display a Blue Star Service Flag. The number of blue stars on the flag corresponds to with the number of individuals who currently serve in the Armed Forces from that immediate family.
Blue Star Mothers
How does Hope honor and serve Blue and Gold Star Families?
Hope For The Warriors offers programs, to help service members, veterans, and military families, which includes Blue and Gold Star Families. These programs aim towards restoring a sense of self, family, and hope by focusing on transition, health and well-being, peer engagement, and connections to community resources. In 2016 alone, Hope For The Warriors served 55 Gold Star Families, which included honoring 24 Gold Star Family Members at a NASCAR race through our Drive For Hope Program.
If you or someone you know are a Blue or Gold Star Family Member or could benefit from our services, please apply or have them apply today. [https://www.hopeforthewarriors.org/apply-for-services/]