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The Gold Star: An honor no one wants
April 8, 2022 — 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.”... MORE

Wear Blue: run to remember, run with your heart
December 17, 2021 — That stretch of the course was lined with images of fallen American service members, followed by community supporters bearing American flags. Each tribute poster was personally requested by a runner or volunteer participating in the race... MORE

A pilot’s pilot: Honoring Capt. Mark “Tyler” Voss and his Gold Star family
October 21, 2020 — On Friday, May 3, 2013, Capt. Mark “Tyler” Voss perished in a plane crash near Chon-Aryk, Kyrgyzstan, while on his sixth deployment, making his family a Gold Star Family who will be honored, along with many other families, annually on the last Sunday of September... MORE

Capt. Mark “Tyler” Voss perished in a plane crash near Chon-Aryk, Kyrgyzstan, while on his sixth deployment.

Air Force Families Forever expanding services at JBSA
September 21, 2020 — Air Force Families Forever is a long-term assistance program that supports family members or next of kin of deceased Airmen, whether they are regular Air Force or Reserve component members, who have fallen or passed away while in combat or conducting non-combat related duties... MORE

Air Force Families Forever is expanding support and services to eligible family members and next of kin including spouses, parents, children, step-children and siblings.

First JBSA Gold Star Family receives base access
April 13, 2018 — For the first time in history, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Gold Star parents, Marcy and Wayne Voss, received gold star base access ID cards March 14. As part of an Air Force initiative, Gold Star families are granted unescorted access to Air Force installations to attend base events and continue to receive services from the Military and Family Readiness Center for immediate and long-term emotional support... MORE

Rehearsal Day showcases what’s to come at Air Show and Open House
November 3, 2017 — Members of the military community got a preview of the 2017 JBSA Air Show and Open House during the air show rehearsal day Nov. 3 at the JBSA-Lackland, Kelly Field Annex... MORE

Members of the U.S. Air Force Aerial Demonstration Squadron “Thunderbirds” perform during the 2017 Joint Base San Antonio and Open House rehearsal day Nov. 3, 2017, at JBSA-Lackland, Kelly Field, Texas. Air shows allow the Air Force to display the capabilities of our aircraft to the American taxpayer through aerial demonstrations and static displays. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Stormy Archer)

Gold Star survivors are part of Air Force family tree
September 28, 2017 — The Air Force family tree has many branches and one branch, representing the service’s Gold Star families, has leaves that glow consistently with the rest. Gold Star families are survivors of military service members who lost their lives during armed hostilities, including deployments in support of military operations against an enemy and/or during an international terrorist attack... MORE