The Pentagram, an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense, published an article covering Gold Star Spouses Day at Arlington National Cemetery and Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.  The article featured a picture of Dr. Tracey Koehlmoos and Dr. Vivianne Wersel, both members of Gold Star Wives Board of Directors .The article also included information about Gold Star Spouses Day and a link to our web site. You can see the full article here.

An article on the recent tax cuts and its effect on Gold Star families was covered by Task & Purpose and included a large section with Cheryl Lankford who also serves on Gold Star Wives Board of Directors. 

https://taskandpurpose.com/trump-tax-cut-widows

As summer approaches, you may want to take family to an amusement park. This article covers those that give discounts to military families. 

https://www.military.com/discounts/the-best-amusement-park-military-discounts.html?spMailingID=3288973&spUserID=Mjk4MDA5NDY2NjcS1&spJobID=760823711&spReportId=NzYwODIzNzExS0

The purpose of this correspondence is to extend an invitation to you, and your guests, to attend and participate in, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 2019 Memorial Day Ceremony scheduled for Thursday, May 23, 2019 (11:30am – 12:30 P.M. EST) at: 451 7^th Street, SW, Washington, D.C., 20410 (Brooke-Mondale Auditorium).  The HUD (2019) Memorial Day Theme is: ‘Honor, Observe, Remember Our Heroes’

The HUD Veterans Affinity Group (VAG), the United States Department of Veterans Affairs /Center for Minority Veterans (VACO), and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, will host the HUD (2019) Memorial Day Ceremony.

We are honored to have, as our Keynote Speaker, the Honorable Jack Bergman, U.S. Representative (R Michigan 1^st District)/Lieutenant General (USMC-RET.), Mr. Richard ‘Rick’ Toma, Iraq War Veteran, Bronze Star Recipient (Desert Shield/Desert Storm), and former HUD employee, Tuskegee Airman, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jefferson, United States Army-Air Corp (RET.) and Lieutenant Colonel Harry Stewart, United States Army Air Corp (RET.).  Special Guests include the Gold Star Mothers (Maryland Chapter). 

Other honored guests include the Military District of Washington (MDW) Joint Forces Ceremonial Color Guard, and Bugles Across America (Bugler), and the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Junior ROTC (John F. Kennedy High School Naval JROTC Cadets).    

A reception for all invited guest is scheduled for 10:30 A.M. (EST), in the Brooke – Mondale Auditorium C, and the HUD 2019 Memorial Day Ceremony will begin, promptly, at 11:30am. (EST). 

Memorial Day, which is observed on the last Monday of May, commemorates the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice, in defense of this great Nation, while in the military service.  This year (2019) Memorial Day will be observed on Monday, May 27, 2019.  A national moment of remembrance takes place on Monday, May 27, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. local time.

Facility Access: If you are a Federal Government Employee and have a Valid HSPD-12 (Federal Employee ID Card) please present this at the security desk for entrance however, if you or your guest, are not Federal Government employees, and do not have a valid HSPD-12, or Federal ID you must RSVP to: Natalie Bishop-Hodge at: 202-402-3132, or: Natalie.R.Bishop-Hodge@hud.gov, or to: Walter Elmore at: 202-275-6323, or Walter.A.Elmore@hud.gov with your first, and last name, DOB, and last four of SSN.  All outside guests must use the South Plaza Employee Entrance when entering the HUD building.  Parking will be available at the L'Enfant Plaza Garage, on D Street, S.W. (Security screening is MANDATORY – Please bring proper photo ID). 

This Honorable event will be Webcast Live (Internally) to all HUD Regional and Field Offices and uploaded on YouTube

‘We Will Never Forget’

"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their Nation." - George Washington

 

Thanks,

Walter Elmore, M.A., Chair

HUD Veterans Affinity Group (VAG)

Vice-Chair Emeritus and Special Advisor to the Interagency Veterans Advisory Council (IVAC)

HUD District of Columbia Office/National Capital Area Office

820 First Street, NE Suite 300

Washington, DC 20002-4205

https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/439790-congress-must-do-away-with-the-militarys-widows-tax 

Gold Star Wives are eligible for free or discounted sports or concert tickets through Vet Tix (https://www.vettix.org). From their web site:

Veteran Tickets Foundation teams up with major sports teams, leagues, promoters, organizations, venues and ticket holders to provide free and discounted tickets to the more than 21 million military and veterans. Currently serving military, honorably discharged veterans from all branches of service, and family of those Killed In Action are eligible. VetTixer's accounts are active once we verify service status. Tickets are either distributed directly to military bases or claimed through our website.

Several articles were published around Gold Star Wives Day.  Here are some of them:

New Haven Register - Recognize Gold Star Wives Letter

WWLP Boston - Flag hanging outside State House to honor wives of fallen soldiers (article & video)

Fort Benning Public Affairs Office - Fort Benning honors spouses of fallen service members at Sunday brunch event

Every year, the Amvets Post 1992, Mount Dora, Florida (the largest Amvets Post in the country) chooses an organization to donate a portion of their raffles to. They have been giving this year to Gold Star Wives! The donations have been well over the level of our Gold Sponsorship so we recognize them for this contribution and thank them! Their contributions help us to keep membership dues low and allow us to continue to represent our military Gold Star spouses.  To learn more about Amvets Mount Dora, visit http://www.amvetspost1992.org/

You can also visit their Facebook page called Amvets Mount Dora. 

The first meeting of the Gold Star Wives of America was on April 5, 1945, when four young widows met in Marie Jordan's apartment on West 20th Street in New York City. One week later, President Franklin D. Roosevelt died. Shortly thereafter, Eleanor Roosevelt, the widow of the Commander-in-Chief, joined the organization. Mrs. Roosevelt was most helpful in the early days of the organization. She attended meetings, wrote about the organization in her "My Day" column, entertained children of Gold Star Wives at a picnic at her home in Hyde Park, New York, served on the first board of directors, and was one of the original 15 signers when the organization was chartered as a non-profit organization in the State of New York in December 1945.

In 2013, the U.S. Senate designated April 5 as Gold Wives Day in recognition of the sacrifices made by spouses and family members of our fallen heroes. Many state and local communities also formally recognize April 5th as Gold Star Wives Day.

Each member, and each chapter, should try and do something special. It can be a simple lunch with friends or a get-together with chapter members. Call your Congress person on this day. Try and get some media exposure in your area, so we can reach out to possible new members. Don't be afraid to invite your political leaders, military VIPs and others, as a means of public relations.

A very encompassing review of this day is found from our friends at Military Benefits, which includes some ideas on what has been done in the past. 

You can make it big or small, just remember to have fun. It's our day to celebrate!

The Shelby County Reporter covered GSW Member Rachel Clinkscale, a Past National President, Board Chair, and current member of Gold Star Wives' Board of Directors in an online article posted March 15, 2019. The article also contains a picture of Mrs. Clinkscale at a wreath laying ceremony. Click here to view the article in its entirety.