Source: Instagram
Posted on 08/30/2021 5:48:31 AM PDT by Kaslin
Source: Instagram
On August 26, 2021, a terrorist struck military and civilian targets in Kabul, Afghanistan. Instant notifications of this horrific terrorist attack went out through social media with news that a massive explosion went off. The families of those thousands deployed waited to hear the news if their loved one was hurt, or even worse, killed. Thirteen families' lives were changed that day. Thirteen service members were killed, thirteen Gold Stars borne from their deaths.
What does the Gold Star represent? So many outside the families and friends do not know. A Gold Star banner or flag is flown by a family that lost a loved one to hostility or war. So many thousands of Gold Star banners generated from this almost twenty-year Global War on Terrorism.
No family wants to be designated with a Gold Star. Debbie Lee lost her son, Navy SEAL Marc Lee, in Iraq. Debbie said, "Being a Gold Star family member is nothing you want to aspire to be. It is one of the most difficult titles I ever had. But, on the other hand, it is probably one of the noblest, honorable titles to have, but not for me, but for my son. My son stood willingly in the line of fire three times that day, sacrificing his life to protect his teammates. People need to know a name; they are not just numbers."
The withdrawal in Afghanistan is particularly tough on the families. I recently spoke to Gold Star spouse Michelle Black. Michelle lost her Green Beret husband Bryan in 2017 during an ambush in Niger, Africa, "With the 20 years approaching, it is hard to watch us pull out of Afghanistan. So many friends of mine lost their spouses there, and now the country is in upheaval again. It is disheartening to be left with the feeling that we walked away accepting defeat to a cause our husbands and so many have given their lives to. How do we convince our children that their dads fought the bad guys and died for a good cause as we now walk away in defeat? While this a simplified version of us leaving Afghanistan, to a child, that is how it seems."
For the journey ahead, families may seem lost. Mandi Bennett understands what the families are going through. Mandi lost her husband, EOD Tech Wade Bennett, in 2012. Mandi said, "It's hard to put into words for people to comprehend when they haven't been through it. I am glad that more people don't understand. The families' lives will never be the same. There are children that will grow up without a parent. I can understand that since I was in that same boat trying to figure out being a parent without your partner, your best friend. First, your life shattered, then living without your partner. It is a journey I'm still trying to figure out. It's been nine years, and we're just starting to deal with the grief. My daughter has been diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety, and depression, all from losing her dad."
Many Gold Star Families will find a mission. With the loss of Marc, Debbie rose up and launched a mission to help Gold Star Families. Debbie said, "I put on Marc's boots, picked up his weapon, and stayed in the fight for troops, veterans, and other Gold Star Families. Marc was redeployed to heaven on August 2, 2006; he continues to change lives around the world in an amazing way."
There are resources out there, from support groups to organizations, to bring Gold Star Families together. Alex Nauert, Director of Programs at the Woody Williams Foundation's Gold Star Families Memorial Monument program. The foundation is working to install Gold Star Memorials throughout the Nation to bring families together. Alex described the monument, "It is a symbol of appreciation and gratitude to the families that have also sacrificed for this country. Rightfully so, we focus on the service members who lost their lives, and the families are often forgotten. The monument paints the narrative to bring awareness and education to our Nation in honor of what a Gold Star family is."
Our Nation must never forget those lost, and we do everything we can to lift up and support our Nation's Gold Star Families. When the news cycle has completed, the fundraising ended, the interviews are over, these families will be going through an indescribable emotional rollercoaster. We must help Gold Star Families when we can and however we can. They have earned a title that no family wants. We owe them.
I, for one, am grossly offended by the attempt to affix a term to the families of the fallen.
IMHO, it belittles their loss and the responsibility of BOTH the leadership - military and elected - and those who voted for them.
Democrats OWN this, and a few dollars, a flag or 1000 words will NEVER assuage the anger of such loss under reckless incompetence.
A compulsory corollary to this feckless piece:
We are a Gold Star family from WW II. The Gold Star went missing - I think my grandmother burned it.
She never posted it in the window. She also never recovered.
23-year old son with a pregnant wife (who lost the baby) - pilot shot down in WW II.
Lives lost, trillions spent for something President George Washington warned us against.
The danger lies with our open border but our government ignores it’s responsibility there
My heart breaks for them.
More than a few families on my paper route had gold stars on thier front door glass. I knew what it meant.
This has been posted but should always be remembered. Anger of mother losing a son due to incompetence of O’Biden.
Kathy McCollum, Mother of Fallen US Marine Rylee McCollum (calls in to Siriusxm radio)
FR Comments: https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3990044/posts
My body heart & soul breaks for each of these Magnificent, Pariotic, Loving, American champion heroes...however it breaks absolurtely “Zero” For Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and the entire Democrat Party. If I were “King-Of-The-World & Universe,...I would arrest, Biden, His disgusting wife, Jill, his criminal, woman abuser, drug addict, son, Hunter, Nancy Pelosi & Chuck Schumer and I would order that all of them be sent to the Taliban, Al Qaeda, & Isis”K” in Afghanistan to done with however these radical animals desire!!!
When I saw that low life piece of human scum & vermin, Biden and his ‘ditto’ wife yesterday, while at Dover AFB as our fallen heroes were returned to the USA...look at his watch during the tender ceremony...I knew they are both useless, heartless human beings!!! Shame on the American people that tolerate this cold hearted, uncaring, pair of losers. End of Story...Case closed!!! May Lord, God, Almighty, take these american patriots & Heroes into paradise with him forever and our may our Lord, send the Biden Family to Satan’s Hell to buen in pain, forever!!!
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