By Donna Reuss
Alexandria, VA – On Memorial Day each year, we honor the members of our military who gave their lives for their country, either directly in conflict or from injuries sustained in battle. But behind each of these service members is a family that also paid a heavy price with the loss of their loved one. Today, the Gold Star symbolizes the spouses and family members of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
April 5 is Gold Star Spouses Day. The first observance was in December 2010, as Gold Star Wives Day; 92% of military spouses are female. In 2012, the U.S. Senate designated Gold Star Wives Day to be recognized annually on April 5. The title eventually evolved to Gold Star Spouses Day to be more inclusive.
The “gold star” tradition dates back to World War I. Army Captain Robert Queisser, 5th Ohio Infantry, a father with two sons fighting in Europe, patented and hung the first recorded blue star banner in his window in 1917. Other families began displaying star banners, with a blue star for each child in active military service. If a service member was killed in action or died from injuries, a gold star replaced the blue, signifying to the community the price the family had paid for the cause of freedom. These families became known as Gold Star Families.
The banner tradition continued through World War II. Before the end of the war, the Gold Star Wives Association was established to connect spouses with others who had experienced the same kind of loss. The group held its first meeting on April 5, 1945.
Gold Star Spouses are entitled to a number of benefits. In addition to tax-free survivor’s payments, these may include education, home loans, assistance for funeral arrangements including transportation and burial, and protections such as life insurance. The Department of Defense (DoD) lays out the criteria to determine who is eligible to receive which benefits and under what conditions.
However, current law requires that many of these benefits be terminated should the widowed spouse remarry before age 55. Approximately 95% of military spouses are females under 35 years old. These young survivors, who have already experienced a tragic loss, must choose between continuing financial assistance and the stability and happiness a new relationship may afford them and their children. These benefits are entitlements earned through sacrifice, not a “hand-out” to hold the survivor over until they move on.
The Love Lives On Act, H.R. 3651, is bipartisan legislation designed to allow Gold Star Spouses who remarry before age 55 to retain critical survivor benefits. It will eliminate the age limit, allow remarried spouses to retain education benefits and Commissary and Exchange privileges, regain TRICARE medical benefits should the subsequent marriage end, and abolish the outdated “Hold Themselves Out to be Married” law.
The American Legion is urging support of this legislation. You can add your support by asking your representatives to pass this bill. An easy way is through VoterVoice (votervoice.net/AmericanLegion/home). Sign in as an Advocate or your appropriate Legion affiliation, and click on the legislation. The site provides a pre-scripted message you can send as written or edit. Enter your zip code, and the message will be sent to your Congressional representatives. You need not be a member of the American Legion to use VoterVoice.
An excellent resource for information about Gold Star benefits is “A Survivor’s Guide to Benefits: Taking Care of Our Families” at www.militaryonesource.mil. Other organizations, such as Gold Star Wives of America Inc., aid and support surviving spouses and children. Or contact the applicable military service:
- Air Force Families Forever: (866) 299-0596
- Army’s Survivor Outreach Services: (833) 313-1960
- Coast Guard Gold Star Program: (202) 795-6637
- Marine Corps’ Long Term Assistance Program: (866) 210-3421
- Navy Gold Star Program: (888) 509-8759
Veteran Service Officers (VSO) can also provide help or guidance. American Legion Post 24 VSOs host quarterly veteran claims clinics at the Post home at 400 Cameron St in Old Town. The next clinic is on April 20 from 9 am-12 pm. Or email them at [email protected].
Gold Star Spouses Day lets Gold Star families know we remember their sacrifice and grieve with them, giving them a sense of comfort and helping them feel less alone. If you know or are close to a Gold Star Spouse, reach out and ensure they have access to the resources and benefits to which they have a right.
If you are a veteran, a veteran’s family member, or know a veteran who needs help, go to Virginia Board Veterans Services at www.dvs.virginia.gov/dvs; dss.virginia.gov/community/211.cgi; contact American Legion Post 24 Veteran Service Officer at [email protected]; or check out the Resources List on the Post 24 website: valegionpost24.com. For crisis intervention and suicide prevention services, dial 988 and Press 1, or text 838255 for the Veterans Crisis Line.
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