Ten Kansas Gold Star military families are being hosted in Washington, D.C. to honor Memorial Day weekend.
The project is being done in conjunction with Sen. Roger Marshall’s office and the Gold Star Family Support Fund of Kansas (a fund of the Armed Forces Community Foundation). Christine Benne, Military Relations Coordinator for the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation, helped raise funds locally to send families on this whirlwind trip, which will resemble that of an Honor Flight.
Gold Star families are families who have lost a loved one, who made the ultimate sacrifice in defending the country. Activities will include a private tour of the Capitol Saturday evening organized by Sen. Marshall, followed by a rededication ceremony Sunday morning of the 1st Infantry Division monument expansion.
The update honors a total of 631 soldiers killed in action during several military operations, including Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
Sen. Marshall will be hosting the families of SPC Joseph Lister, Staff Sgt. Zac Hargrove, Private First Class William Johnson and Sgt. Kevin Gilbertson. Biographies of each soldier is available here.
