Captain’s Column

Last week I had the honor of attending a special tree lighting ceremony in the lobby of Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi. The event was hosted by our Gold Star Program Coordinator Susanna Del Llano.

The Navy Gold Star Program is the Navy’s official program providing long-term nonclinical case management, education, information and referral, and other support to surviving families of service members who have died while on active duty.

Ms. Del Llano currently supports 337 Navy Gold Star Families throughout Texas.

The Gold Star Memorial Tree features the faces of many fallen service members from this state. It is a beautiful tribute to these lives taken away too soon. Before the tree lighting ceremony, I had the opportunity to take some time and look at the faces of my fallen brothers and sisters in arms.

I recognized that behind each face on that tree was a powerful story, a loving family, a life of dedicated service, moments of great pride of and joy, and moments of immeasurable grief.

It was a powerful reminder of the price of freedom and of the fact that every moment we have with our loved ones is precious, even if we sometimes forget that.

The holidays are a happy time for so many of us, but for families who have experienced loss, the holidays can be a struggle, and we must be ready so support them.

I am grateful to the Clinic for hosting the ceremony and providing such a perfect place in their quarterdeck for the memorial tree.

I am grateful to Ms. Del Llano for all of her efforts in support of our many Gold Start Families, and for creating a memorial that is so powerful.

For those who have base access, I encourage you to take the time to come and see our Gold Star Memorial Tree, and when you do, please spend a little time looking at the faces of the fallen.

Think of them with gratitude and honor them with a little bit of your time. I know you will be deeply moved by the experience.