(Lapel Pin) BGS insignia provided to new members as part of membership.
A lapel pin is a small pin often worn on the lapel of a dress jacket. Lapel pins can be purely ornamental or can indicate the wearer's affiliation with an organization or cause; for example, American Flag lapel pins became very popular in the United States, especially among politicians,
The Gold Star medal is a special insignia that identifies recipients of the title "Hero" in the Soviet Union and several post-Soviet states.
A service flag or service banner in the United States is an official banner that family members of service members in harm's way can display. The flag or banner is defined as a white field with a red border, with a blue star for each family member in active duty.
federal designation of a family, especially "Gold Star Mother", that has lost a relative in wartime service; being a plaque or scroll that may be displayed in a window (facing outside), or mounted on a wall as tribute; compare BLUE STAR.
blue star flag
Shalom and Annika are my neighbors, and I often see them through the window when I pass by on dog walks. Annika's daddy James is a nurse in the US Armed Forces stationed in Iraq, and Shalom hangs the Blue Star Flag in the window for him. James last saw Annika when she was 3 weeks old, she is 5 months now. Each day at noon Shalom takes a photo of Annika with a card, describing what they are doing that day, and then e-mails it to James, so he can follow her progress as she grows up. He won't see her again until October.
About the Blue Star Flag:
The tradition originated with WWI. In 1917, the Congressional Record stated:
"The world should know of those who give so much for liberty.
The dearest thing in all the world to a father and mother---their children."
Also known as a Service Flag, the blue stands for hope and pride.
When family members were killed, the blue star was replaced with a gold one representing sacrifice.
A silver star stood for someone invalided home for wounds sustained overseas.
Lapel pins also sported the same symbols.
USACE, Ansbach community celebrate dedication, opening of Community Activity Center
A Gold Star Survivor Pin is placed on the lapel of Molly Storck, daughter of Col. Louis J. Storck, during a dedication ceremony for the Col. Louis J. Storck Community Activity Center June 14, 2011, at the Storck Barracks near Illesheim, Germany. The renovated CAC was named in honor of Storck’s father, who was awarded the Silver Star posthumously for his gallant actions near Raids, France, in World War II. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District managed the CAC's renovations. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Brian Temple)