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JBSA News
NEWS | April 6, 2023

JBSA honors National Gold Star Spouses Day

By A.J. Marshall Jr. Survivor Outreach Service Coordinator, Army Support Activity

In honor of National Gold Star Spouses Day April 5, Survivor Outreach Services at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston held an event with the theme of “We support your strength and courage.”

Gold Star spouses have made tremendous sacrifices with the loss of their service member under hostile operations, as well as surviving spouses who lost their spouses while serving on active duty.

Both groups have lost their spouses, both have suffered pain, and both have supported this great nation and we will not forget them.

The speaker for the program was Brig. Gen. Deydre S. Teyhen, Brooke Army Medical Center commander, who also provided support and encouraging words to the families in the audience. During lunch, she mingled with the Gold Star and surviving families to listen to individual stories.

Mayor Al Suarez, Police Chief Bobby Lane and Fire Chief Luis Valdez from the city of Converse presented a proclamation to Teyhen on behalf of Gold Stars families.

The event was also attended by Air Force Brig. Gen. Russell D. Driggers, commander, 502nd Air Base Wing and JBSA; Army Col. Travis Mills and Command Sgt. Maj. Nicole T. Reddick, the command for the 502nd Force Support Group; Navy Capt. Shannon Johnson, deputy commander, U.S. Naval Medical Forces Support Command; U.S. Coast Guard Cdr. T.J. Lee, commander, Cryptologic Unit Texas; BAMC Command Sgt. Maj. Thurman L. Reynolds; and Army Support Activity Manger Roger Shuck, making this a truly military “purple” event.

The message was communicated that these spouses will forever be a part of this military community and the Survivor Outreach Services will continue to serve them and be connected to our military community.

In attendance were 25 Gold Star spouses and 23 surviving spouses. Supporting team members included staff from the JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, JBSA-Lackland, and JBSA-Randolph Military and Family Readiness Centers.