Naval Hospital Beaufort Honors Gold Star Families with Designated Parking

BEAUFORT, S.C. (NNS) -- To recognize and honor Gold Star families, Naval Hospital Beaufort dedicated a parking space for their use in front of the hospital's main entrance today, June 28.

Gold Star families are the surviving families of Sailors, Marines, Soldiers, and Airmen who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country.

"Taking care of the families of the fallen is one of the best ways we can honor their sacrifice," said Capt. Joan Queen, commanding officer of Naval Hospital Beaufort. "Providing a designated parking space is the least we can do to recognize our Gold Star families, honor their loss, and show our support."

According to Queen, after over a decade of war, many who serve in Navy Medicine have been personally touched by the loss of the nation's fallen.

"Given the nature of what we do in Navy Medicine, taking care of Marines and Sailors on the battlefield, providing lifesaving care in fleet hospitals, and tending to our Wounded Warriors on the home front, we have seen and understand the loss experienced by these families and have the utmost respect for them," said Queen.

Lt. Cmdr. Willie Brown, the director for administration at the naval hospital, was instrumental in selecting the spot and working with the hospital's facilities staff to get it placed.

"Naval Hospital Beaufort wants to raise awareness of our Gold Star family members by making this parking space available for every Gold Star mom, dad, wife, husband, grandparent, sibling, cousin, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece who have lost a loved one in war," said Brown. "Why, you may ask? Because we, as a grateful nation and fellow members of the military, want to express that our war heroes are never forgotten."

The initiative to designate parking for Gold Star families comes from Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) to deliver on the promise to take care of the families of the fallen. The designated space will be prominently located in the parking lot in front of the hospital's north entrance, next to the designated parking for expectant mothers, with ease of access to the entrance.

The term "Gold Star" families comes from the lapel pin, known as the "Gold Star Lapel Button," that was established by Congress in 1965 to identify the widows, parents, and next of kin of active duty service members who lost their lives in combat, retroactive to World War I.

Open since 1949, Naval Hospital Beaufort provides general medical, surgical, and emergency services to all active duty personnel, as well as retired military and family members residing in the Beaufort area, a total population of approximately 29,000 beneficiaries.

For more news from Naval Hospital Beaufort, visit www.navy.mil/local/nhbeaufort/.