Rose Duval

​Have you ever felt the need to be a part of a group or organization that gave you a sense of purpose and allowed you to offer a modicum of peace and solace? For me that is what the Arlington Ladies offer each time they attend a burial ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. The Arlington Ladies began in 1948 when the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Hoyt Vandenberg, and his wife, Gladys, routinely attended funeral
services at the cemetery and noticed that some services had only a military chaplain present. The Vandenberg’s believed that a member of the Air Force family should also attend, and Mrs. Vandenberg asked her friends to start attending services. She ultimately formed a group from the Officer's Wives Club. In 1973, General Creighton Abrams' wife, Julia, founded the Army's version of the group. In 1985, the Navy created a group, and in 2006 the Coast Guard followed suit. The Marines do not officially have a
group, as they send a representative of the Marine Commandant to every funeral.

Today, the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Coast Guard all have Arlington Ladies who perform similar volunteer duties, attending funeral services for active-duty service members and veterans. The criteria for becoming an Arlington Lady is different for each military service, but each Lady has some connection to the respective service, generally as a current or former military member or as a spouse of a military member. The Ladies
are an official part of the funeral service, representing the military service's chief of staff
or equivalent.

My desire to be a part of this group has been a long-time goal of mine. The process was long, but all good things are worth the wait. For now, I am an Army Arlington Lady. My journey began when I met with the Chairperson of the Army Arlington Ladies. From there I met with three (3) other Army Arlington Ladies. This took over six months due to coordinating our schedules and the holidays. In the end the Chairperson, with input from the other ladies, decided to sponsor me into the organization. From there I shadowed 3 different ladies and then I go solo while being evaluated by the Chairperson. I will be on the substitution list for a year before I am given a permanent day. But until then I am more than happy to fill in wherever I am needed.

Having been on the receiving end of the Arlington Ladies condolence card, I understand the impact and meaning of their presence. I only hope I can offer the same warmth and sincerity I received on the day Scott was laid to rest in Section 60.  While Arlington National Cemetery has the Arlington Ladies, there is no reason that every cemetery across our country can’t have a similar group of volunteers. Volunteers of Gold Star Mothers that carries on the tradition to ensure every veteran or service member who dies in service of our nation has their Arlington Lady present.

LONG BEACH, CA – The American Gold Star Manor is pleased to announce the continuation of the American Gold Star Manor Housing Assistance Grant. This grant provides funds for temporary housing support for our Nation’s Gold Star Parents who are low-income and experiencing some type of personal hardship.


“We see this as a natural expansion of our mission and are eager to extend our services to those living outside the Long Beach area.” Says, Glen Patrick, American Gold Star Manor President & CEO. “We’ve seen the positive impact of providing well-appointed low-income housing to our Gold Star community and offering a grant to support housing security feels like a natural next step.” 
 
Grants will be awarded on a monthly basis until 12/31/2025 or until all funding has been utilized. Grants will cover up to three months of rent or mortgage assistance, not to exceed $5,000. Those interested in applying can visit the American Gold Star Manor Housing Assistance Grant page on the Manor website at https://goldstarmanor.org/grant/ to learn more.
 
About American Gold Star Manor
The American Gold Star Manor is incorporated as a charitable, non-profit corporation for the purpose of providing a National Home for Gold Star Seniors. The American Gold Star Manor is a complex built with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Situated in a quiet section of Long Beach, the Manor includes 348 recently updated, and thoughtfully appointed apartments. Residential buildings are located in a secure, 23-acre, park-like setting. To see more about American Gold Star Manor, check out our Facebook and Instagram @AmericanGoldStarManor. ​

Social Security imposter scams continue to be widespread across the United States. Scammers use
tactics to deceive you into providing sensitive information or money. If you receive a suspicious letter,
text, email, or call, do not respond.

SSA will NEVER:
 Text or email images of an employee’s official government identification.
 Suspend your Social Security number.
 Threaten you with arrest or other legal action unless you immediately pay a fine or fee.
 Require payment by retail gift card, wire transfer, internet currency, or cash by mail.
 Promise a benefit increase or other assistance in exchange for payment.
 Mail or email “official” letters or reports containing your personal information.

SSA will only send text messages in limited situations, including:
 When you have subscribed to receive updates and notifications by text.
 As part of our enhanced security when accessing your personal my Social Security account.


If you owe money to SSA, they will mail you a letter with payment options and appeal rights. Social
Security employees do contact the public by telephone for business purposes. Ordinarily, the agency
calls people who have recently applied for a Social Security benefit, are already receiving payments and
require an update to their record or have requested a phone call from the agency. If there is a problem
with a person's Social Security number or record, Social Security will typically mail a letter.

We encourage you to report suspected Social Security imposter scams — and other Social Security fraud
— to the OIG’s website at oig.ssa.gov/report. You can find more information about scams at
www.ssa.gov/scam. Please share this information with your friends, family, and colleagues to help
spread awareness about Social Security imposter scams.

COLUMBIA FALLS, Maine and WASHINGTON D.C. – Feb. 4, 2025 – Today, Wreaths Across America (WAA) and American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. (AGSM), announce a recommittal to the formal partnership the two nonprofits established in 2016.
 
An updated memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by both organizations’ leadership on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, the day before the annual escort to Arlington kicked off in Maine. The agreement outlines several key areas, such as collaborative volunteer efforts and fundraising in communities across the country; a weekly interview segment for AGSM on Wreaths Across America Radio; and naming Wreaths Across America Radio an exclusive media partner for AGSM’s annual convention each June; among the re-establishment of collaboration in the existing partnership.
 
Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Columbia Falls, Maine, WAA’s yearlong mission is to Remember the fallen, Honor those who serve and Teach the next generation the value of freedom. AGSM was established in 1928 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1984 with the core purpose of supporting families of fallen and wounded soldiers, teaching lessons of patriotism and inspiring respect for the country.
 
“Over the years, I’ve learned so much from our nation’s Gold Star families and am grateful for AGSM’s support of the mission all these years,” said Karen Worcester, executive director of WAA. “Both organizations have evolved and grown over the last eight years, so the recommittal of our partnership is both timely and important as our combined efforts will no doubt help to shape and inform the next generation of patriots.”
 
“Wreaths Across America’s mission perfectly aligns with AGSM’s mission. We are proud to partner with their army of volunteers across the country,” said Patti Elliott, National President, American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., and mother of SPC Daniel “Lucas” Elliott, KIA Basra, Iraq, 7/15/2011. “What started as one man’s generous gesture to honor heroes at Arlington has become a nationwide movement to ensure all our servicemembers are remembered and to educate all about the sacrifices our brave men and women are making every day.”
 
Follow the impactful stories of service and sacrifice as shared by Gold Star families by tuning in to Wreaths Across America Radio, available on the iHeart Radio app, TuneIn, and the Audacy app, or listen at www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/radio. Wreaths Across America Radio regularly features Gold Star mothers. You can catch up on past interviews or listen anytime on the Wreaths Radio SoundCloud page.
 
National Wreaths Across America Day will be held this year on Saturday, December 13, 2025. This free event is open to all, and the organization encourages community members to participate by volunteering locally or sponsoring a wreath for an American hero.
 
# # #
About Wreaths Across America
Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, which was begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization’s yearling mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December in communities in all 50 states and beyond. 
 
For more information or to sponsor a wreath, please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.
 
About the American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.
American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. (AGSM) is an organization of mothers who lost a son or daughter in service to the country. AGSM is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, established in 1928 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1984. As a Veterans Service Organization, AGSM supports veterans and their families through a broad range of activities and programs. Members also participate in patriotic events. To accomplish its widespread mission, members are active in chapters across the United States. 
 
For more information, please visit www.americangoldstarmothers.org. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Press contact:

Rachael Wilson, WAA
(207) 230-4599
[email protected]


​

WASHINGTON — Today the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expanded the Veterans Legacy Memorial (VLM) — the nation’s largest digital platform dedicated to the memory of Veterans and service members — to allow Veterans to tell their own story before they pass away. The new “Your Story, Your Legacy” feature will allow Veterans who have been approved for VA’s pre-need eligibility determination for burial in a VA national cemetery to log in to a secure website where they can privately submit images, autobiographies, military and life milestones, and historical documents.

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