What is a Gold Star family? Republicans mourn fallen service members at RNC
On the third night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Gold Star families of the service members who were killed during the U.S.’s 2021 exit from Afghanistan appeared on stage to commemorate their lost loved ones. Bearing photos of their family members, many criticized President Joe Biden for handling the military withdrawal.
The families also criticized Biden for failing to speak the names of the 13 military members who died aloud. Though Biden has named the soldiers in written statements, he has not spoken their names publicly, NBC reported.
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“Joe Biden said the withdrawal from Afghanistan was an extraordinary success,” said Cheryl Juels, the aunt of Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole Gee. “Look at our faces. Look at our pain and our heartbreak. And look at our rage. That was not an extraordinary success.”
“Joe Biden owes the men and women who served in Afghanistan a debt of gratitude, and an apology,” she added.
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What is a Gold Star family?
A Gold Star family is a term used for anyone who has lost an immediate family member during active-duty military service.
The use of gold stars to commemorate soldiers who had died in combat dates back to World War I. During that time, families would fly flags with a blue star to signify that a relative was serving in the armed forces. If their loved one died in combat, the family would change their flag to one with a gold star.
Over 7,000 service members have died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars since 9/11, according to the nonprofit organization America’s Gold Star Families.
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Maya Homan is a 2024 election fellow at USA TODAY, focusing on Georgia politics. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, as @MayaHoman.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: What is a Gold Star family? RNC mourns fallen service members