Gold Star Fathers
| January 2020 | Real Hero Report
The term “Gold Star” went viral during the 2016
presidential campaign, yet many Americans still don’t
know that a Gold Star Family member is someone who
lost a loved one while serving on Active Duty in the Armed
Forces of the United States or died as a result of such service.
The term elicits mixed feelings that include loss, pride, respect,
and hopefully at some point, healing.
During the 2017 legislative session, State Representative
Rhonda M. Burnough (D-Riverdale, District 77) drafted House
Resolution 723 recognizing November 9, 2017, as Gold Star
Father’s Day. “As the daughter of a United States Marine and
wife to a Marine and Vietnam Purple Heart Veteran, my hope
was that this legislation would provide some level of comfort to
fathers who were unintentionally overlooked,” she expressed.
A program was planned to honor the fathers of Fallen Georgia
Heroes, and attendance was encouraged whether they currently
resided in the state or not. This led to more than 40 fathers
representing 30 Georgia cities and counties from all branches of
the military, with fathers from as far away as Texas in attendance
Event gave fathers who lost a child in service to our country a
space to share their loved ones’ stories and speak out about coping
with loss,” explains Rep. Burnough.
By 2018, a unanimous bipartisan effort, led by Rep. Burnough,
passed Resolution 655 in the Georgia House of Representatives
naming November 9 as Gold Star Father’s Day annually.
Both resolutions have helped Georgians recognize Gold Star
Fathers at the local level, providing families who have lost fathers
in the line of duty with the same considerations that currently
exist for Gold Star families nationally. Three recognition events
have been held at the Capitol since 2017, which has served to
provide comfort and foster a network of support amongst the men.
The resolutions also have set a new standard for the nation
to emulate as Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) and
Congressman Rob Woodall (GA-07) introduced the bipartisan
House Resolution 706, which would designate November 9,
as “Gold Star Father’s Day” nationally. To date, seven other
members of the Georgia delegation have added their support.
“For a Gold Star family, every day is their own personal
Memorial Day,” said Congressman Woodall. “Gold Star family
members are strong and resilient and want to do nothing more
than carry on their loved one’s legacy. I am proud to support this
bipartisan legislation. Gold Star Father’s Day will ensure that
generations well beyond our years.”
Honoring the parents of fallen heroes began as an effort to
provide comfort and sympathy to mothers who lost their children
to military service and care for hospitalized veterans when Grace
Darling Siebold founded American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. after
her son was killed in action during World War I. The organization
Decades later, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill
allowing the Fathers of Fallen Heroes or previously disabled
“I believe it is important to extend the same recognition to
Gold Star Fathers as it currently exists for Gold Star Mothers
and families,” said Rep. Johnson. “The debt we owe our veterans
have lost, and those of their families on the home front, are the
foundation of the freedoms we hold dear.”
“Recognizing Gold Star Fathers on a national level will not
but will also provide Americans with one more opportunity to
acknowledge the bravery of our military heroes,” concludes Rep.
Burnough.
While the last Sunday in September is observed nationally for
Gold Star Mothers, there is currently no national observance date
for Gold Star Fathers. Please contact your Congressperson and
ask him or her to sign House Resolution 706 to ensure that Gold
Star Fathers can be recognized nationally.