(PatriotPostNews.com) — Gold Star status has historically been limited to families of service members who died in combat. Groups have been attempting to expand the definition to include service members who died from causes outside of combat. The effort to expand the definition has been underway for months, but the groups involved have not been able to come to a consensus.
The Biden administration established a working group to address the concerns of numerous families who believe they should be included under the Gold Star family umbrella. The Gold Star status is more than just honorary, the title confers a number of resources and benefits to the families of fallen soldiers. Adapting the program to include families of service members who died outside of combat could grant three million families Gold Star status.
Spearheading the effort is TAPS or the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. TAPS is a nonprofit group that provides “comfort and hope 24/7” to families dealing with grief. TAPS is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that serves veterans and surviving families. The group offers a variety of assistance programs as well as retreats to help survivors in need. TAPS does not charge fees for its services.
The Sons and Daughters in Touch non-profit organization has also been involved. President of the non-profit, Tony Cordero, said that part of the challenge to reaching a consensus is getting the wording to include a wide array of causes of death without offending families. The group’s mission is to “Unite and Support” adult children of deceased service members.
The pentagon spent months weighing the options to expand the God Star definition, but ultimately retracted support for the effort. A Department of Defense representative said in a statement that the DOD will “restart” the process at a future date.
Andy Weis, a surviving family member whose son died by suicide, asserted that not recognizing grieving families like his is “ridiculous.” Weis’s son was an Army Ranger.
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