A Gold Star Mom Speaks
Maureen Miller is the mother of the late Sgt. Robert Miller, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions above and beyond the call of duty in a valley in Afghanistan. During the battle that took his life, Sgt. Miller aggressively engaged enemy fighters who had ambushed his unit. He also made the decision that cost him his life: to draw enemy fire upon himself to save his brothers in arms. His full exploits might be read at the website the United States Army set up for one of its most gallant sons.
Now Mrs. Miller has written an article for the New York Post about the misplaced sympathy she encounters, which often makes people afraid to ask her about her son. I met many a Gold Star mom at the White House, and I watched President Bush meet with hundreds of them. So I found this paragraph in Mrs. Miller's beautiful article dispiriting:
The military would do well to improve its own awareness of and outreach to the families of the fallen. Let me tell you: There is nothing more disheartening than being in a room full of active-duty and retired military personnel who show no sign of recognizing my Gold Star pin, where not one leader comes up and says, "Tell me about your loved one," or "Thank you for your family's sacrifice."
Remember, this is not a faculty cocktail party at Berkeley. This is a roomful of Army officers incapable of speaking to the mother of an Army hero. If I were Bob Gates, I would send this to every general. If our military officers are just awkward, maybe they should have some training. Surely our military leaders should recognize a Gold Star when they see one -- and know what to say to the family that has given a son, husband, daughter in the service of our nation.
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May '10
Re: A Gold Star Mom Speaks
Amen. I thought exactly the same thing when I read that paragraph the other day.
Re: A Gold Star Mom Speaks
I feel proud and humbled to live in a country that produces such amazing men.
If Sgt. Miller can single-handedly charge into a valley filled with scores of armed insurgents, the rest of us can figure out how to honor those he left behind.
Edited on Jun 1, 2011 at 8:27pm