Weekly Column: Idaho's Gold Star Families Memorial Monument

We recently had the opportunity to join in celebrating the completion of a very special project in Pocatello that is yet another reminder of the magnitude of respect and gratitude Idahoans have for the extraordinary Americans who serve in our country’s Armed Forces.  Idaho is now home to one of our nation’s Gold Star Families Memorials thanks to the hard work and dedication of many Idahoans.  This Memorial Day, as we pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of Americans lost in service to our nation, we also hold in our hearts the Gold Star Families who shoulder the price paid for the defense of our freedoms and the safety of Americans at home and abroad.  The following is the text of the Congressional Record Statement we submitted to recognize this memorial that honors military families’ exceptional commitment to our country:

Mr. President, along with my colleagues Senator Jim Risch and Representative Mike Simpson, I congratulate all those who worked on the completion of the Idaho Gold Star Memorial Monument to honor Idaho’s fallen servicemembers and commemorate the enormous cost of our freedoms shouldered by their families.

We commend the members of the Idaho Gold Star Families Memorial Monument Committee on their work to see this project through to completion.  Bringing together the partners, volunteers and many supporters to make the monument happen was no small undertaking.  We extend a special thank you to the Committee’s Chairperson, Gold Star Mother Rebecca Webb, for leading the establishment of the memorial.  You have turned your profound sorrow for the loss of your son, Master Sgt. Christopher Webb, and the grief of all Gold Star Families, into a profound tribute to the great strength and devotion of our nation’s servicemembers and their families. 

How great it is to reach the final stage in the transformation of a piece of Idaho into an enduring memorial.  From the memorial’s large, central gold star symbolizing the great loss experienced by loved ones of fallen servicemembers, to the inherent recognition of the service of those who laid down their lives for our country, the depth of your love is clear in every thoughtful detail.  You honor not only the memories of your loved ones, but also the lives of the servicemembers and families who served our country before them and those who will follow in their eternal footsteps.

We are blessed to have this outstanding tribute in Idaho and to be part of the network of Gold Star Memorials nationwide.  You have created a beautiful place of tribute to Gold Star Families, who give far more to our country than we can ever reciprocate.  The Idaho Gold Star Families Memorial stands as a lasting place for all Americans to remember fallen servicemembers and the great sacrifice of the families who stood with them and will always love them. 

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