Gold Star Program

The phrase “Gold Star Family,” dates back to World War I, when military families displayed service flags featuring a blue star for every immediate family member serving in the Armed Forces. The star’s color would be changed to gold if the family lost a loved one in the war, hence the term,

“Gold Star Family.”

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The 173d Airborne Association
Official Gold Star Program

ORGANIZATION CHART

The 173D Airborne Association
Official Gold Star Program

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GOLD STAR PROGRAM GOALS

1.) To show as many 173D Airborne Gold Star Families that their Sky
Soldiers sacrifice will “NEVER BE FORGOTTEN” by the 173D Airborne
Association Family, and we are here for them!

2.) Provide a Gold Star Family gathering at every Annual Reunion (Gold Star
Family Luncheon)
A) Provide a gift bag to all Gold Star Family attendee’s
B) Try to hook up Gold Star Family Members with Sky Soldiers that
knew or served with their loved one.

3.) Reach out to Gold Star Families with cards or notices on special dates
(K.I.A Anniversaries), special holidays, and National Gold Star Occasions
and events.

4.) Work with legislators for more Gold Star Public Awareness and
Acknowledgement and creating special projects to Honor our Gold Star
Families.

5.) Create Fundraising Projects to make the program “Self-funded” with no
financial burden on the Association.

CHAPTER SUPPORT

Suggest each Chapter designate a “CHAPTER GOLD STAR PROGRAM
REPRESENTATIVE”
.
A.) All Gold Star Program communication. To be sent to them for dissemination to
the Chapter. The Gold Star Program Committee Members will support the
Chapter Representatives.

B.) Chapter Gold Star Reps will be supported to locate Gold Star Family Members in
their area and invite them to the Chapter meeting and Reunions. Make them
Honorary Chapter members and pass their information to our Association Gold
Star program committee.

C.) Assist the Association Gold Star Program to raise funds to support the programs
that allow increased awareness of who and what a “Gold Star Pin” and “Next of
Kin Pin” is and what the distinction between the two means.

D.) We feel that Gold Star Family have already made the “Ultimate Sacrifice.” We
will endeavor to minimize the financial constraints when participating in our
events and activities. To do this, The Chapters must Support and Assist in fund
raising, some will be larger than others, but we need a little something from all to
maximize our success.

E.) Chapters would make these types of donations at every Annual Board of
Directors meeting making it a “CHALLENGE” for Chapters to support this
important program. Please consider the restarting this S.O.P.

REUNION SUPPORT FOR ANNUAL GOLD STAR
LUNCHEON

1.) Provide the room at the host hotel to host the luncheon.
A) Provide the Brigade Colors, American Flag with support bases and 1
additional pole and base for a Gold Star Flag during the event.

2.) Per Association protocol display Gold Star Flag at the official Sky Soldier
gatherings and have a Moment of Silence in Memory of all Fallen Sky
Soldiers at our National gathering.

3.) Request that the Association Chaplin attend the event for Invocation
Blessing, and the closing Prayer.
A) Assn. President & V.P will be invited to attend the event to represent
the 173D Association and speak if requested.

4.) Provide designated Gold Star Co-Chairperson copies of any Gold Star
family Registration as received during the ongoing reunion registration.

5.) Hold a block of approximately 20 rms, including 1 handicap room
designated for Gold Star Family Members at the host hotel.

6.) Suggest delegating 1 person to the Reunion Committee be designated as
the P.O.C for Gold Star Event Communication.

Mission Statement

The 173d Airborne Assn. Gold Star Program is a private nonprofit C19

Military Organization created to provide Honor, Remembrance, Emotional, Peer, and Resource Support for 173d Airborne Gold Star Families.

We will host a gathering of Gold Star Family Members at every National Association Reunion, to ensure the sacrifices made will

NEVER BE FORGOTTEN

To provide increased Public Awareness of what the Gold Star and Next of Kin Pinare, are and the sacrifice required to wear one.

History, Reunion 2023, Reconnecting, Planning for 2023 and beyond

The initiative to support the Association Gold Star Family members was brought forth through the vision of the late General John R. Deane, Jr. and Col. Robert Sigholtz and was implemented by Judy C. Campbell (Gold Star Sister of Sp/4 Keith Allen Campbell - DSC, BSM ‘v’, PH - Combat Medic – KIA Vietnam 02/08/1967), who became the first Chairperson of the Associations Gold Star Committee. The program was taken over and run by the leadership of the 173d Airborne Brigade Association for a few years. Debora Yashinski with the support of her husband James (Gold Star Parents of Sgt. Michael Emerson Yashinski – BSM - KIA Iraq 12/24/2003) came on board as Chair and took it to the next level by researching and building the database Gold Star Family Members. That same database was used by the 173d Airborne Brigade Memorial Foundation to reach out to the Gold Star Family members as that project developed and was completed. Under Eric Hitchcock’s leadership of the then-called 173d Airborne Brigade Association Foundation, Doris Brazzale-Hovis was invited to Chair the Gold Star Family program. She has been its organizer and champion for the past 6 years with the support of her two talented and dedicated daughters. Overall the program has been in existence and active for nearly 20 years.

Judy’s, Deborah’s and Doris’s dedication, personal touch, and sensitivity to the needs of each Gold Star Family member have continually improved the quality of the event at the reunions and facilitated a mutual support relationship among those attending that extended beyond the time at the reunion. As new Gold Star Family members have joined us at the reunions, where the Association has hosted them at exclusive luncheons or dinners, so have Sky Soldiers come forth who had served with their KIA loved ones, and have joined the event. Each reunion event is memorable for all participants and a significant contributor to the healing of both the Gold Star Family members and the Sky Soldiers who served with their loved ones plus those supporting the events.

At this time a monumental task calls on us to rally together in the effort to reconnect with all Gold Star Family members in the existing database, update it to reflect the current status of those listed there, and add those who should be in that list. That requires the 173d Airborne Brigade Association and its Chapters and members, to reach out and locate those Gold Star Family members.

The 173d Airborne Brigade Association reunion registration has begun and we encourage all Association Chapters and members to reach out to the Gold Star Family members in their area of operation and invite them to attend.

The 173d Airborne Brigade Association offers a lifetime honorary membership for the Association Gold Star Family members (parents, siblings, children, and grandchildren) upon the Association's Gold Star Programs confirmation.

We invite Gold Star Sky Soldiers and their Gold Star spouses and their

Gold Star children, who lost a loved one serving with other units of the U.S. Armed Forces, to join the Sky Soldier Gold Star Family and attend its events.

Let us not leave any Sky Soldier Gold Star Family member to wonder if anyone cares about their loss and pain. Join the team to let them know that THE SACRIFICE OF THEIR LOVED ONE WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN AND NEITHER WILL THEY.

To volunteer please contact

Eric Hitchcock at eric@blastincorporated.com or by phone at 713-545-3974

CONTACT INFORMATION TO REACH OUT TO OUR GOLD STAR PROGRAM CO-CHAIRWOMAN.

Doris Brazzale-Hovis bradoris@yahoo.com

Judy Cambell herdsis1@gmail.com

"Gold Star Families bear the unimaginable weight of loss, embodying the highest form of sacrifice for their nation. Their courage and resilience serve as a beacon of patriotism, reminding us daily of the profound costs of our freedoms."