Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission

Families United is a non-profit 501(c)(3) founded in 2005 by a group of military families. On its website, Families United describes itself as "charitable organization whose mission is to Honor the Fallen, Support those who Fight, and Serve their Families through programs, events, and outreach. We are a national organization of Gold and Blue Star families—including many with loved ones in harm’s way—as well as veterans and Americans who share a deep appreciation for our men and women in uniform and support them in their mission to keep America safe. Together, we ensure that the sacrifices of our courageous military do not go unnoticed and that these men and women and their families receive the support they need and deserve." [1]

"Gold Star" Programs and Events

Families United hosts events throughout the country in support of "Gold Star" families—the families of servicemebers who have died in combat.

National Weekend of Remembrance The National Weekend of Remembrance is an annual gathering of Gold Star families in Washington, DC. On it's website, the organization describes the event as "The largest gathering of Gold Star family members." [2] The 2010 event featured a National Gold Star Family Dinner, a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, and the American Heroes Festival at Six Flags America. [3][4]

Gold Star Family Luncheons In 2008, Families United began hosting Gold Star Family Luncheons in cities around the country. The events bring families "together to celebrate the lives of their Heroes and gain a comfort only offered by those who have known similar loss is one of the most important services we provide." [5]

Gold Star Family Assistance According to the organization, the Gold Star Family Assistance program privides financia support to families who want to attend the funerals of their loved one and was developed because "it quickly became obvious that assistance provided by the Defense Department did not always meet the needs of blended or non-traditional families." [6]

"Blue Star" Programs and Events

Families United also hosts events and programs for "Blue Star" families, which are the families of active duty servicemembers.

Camp Desert Kids Camp Desert Kids is a program designed to "help military children better understand the deployments that shape their lives." According to the program's web page, "deployment is challenging for children, not only because they do not understand the separation from their parent, but also because they have trouble conceptualizing where Mom or Dad have gone. Through a fun and educational event, Camp Desert Kids gives military children the opportunity to experience deployment with their homefront parent in a unique way. It serves to help American children learn that Iraqi and Afghan children do the same things they do— just differently. Utilizing games, maps, fun facts, cultural activities, crafts, regional food and drink, and even the chance to dress up like Mom or Dad in full camouflage gear, Camp Desert Kids works to reduce the unknown in our military children’s lives." [7]

Frontline Families Frontline Families is a program that began in 2010 that helps "military family members in obtaining and navigating critical services and benefits" and bridges "the gap between military communities, veterans, and civilians around the country." [8]

National Gold Star Family Registry

In 2010, Families United launched the National Gold Star Family Registry, a public database of all the men and women who have died in military service since WWII. According to Families United, the Registry is "the first, comprehensive record of fallen heroes and family network ever developed." [9] The Registry allows users to search the database, see detailed information about each person listed, and write a tribute to a specific relative or friend. [10] The Registry can be viewed at http://www.goldstarfamilyregistry.com

Contact Information

Families United
P O Box 65494
Washington, DC 20035
Phone: 202.293.4656
Email: info AT familiesunitedusa.org
Website: http://www.familiesunitedusa.org/

External links

2005

• "Sheehan Counter Demonstration Philly," Families United (Free Republic), September 13, 2005. re Cindy Sheehan

2006

• Ken Speake, "Military families unite to tell the rest of the Iraq war story," KARE 11.com (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN), January 17, 2006.
• Nick Coleman, "Troops back from Iraq being deployed on front lines of spin war," Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN), February 16, 2006. Link expired; registraton required.
• John Hinderaker, "'Midwest Heroes' Come Under Attack," Power Line Blog, February 12, 2006.

Note: Power Line incorrectly attributes to the Center for Media and Democracy/SourceWatch information about Ken Mehlman, Progress for America, and Bush-Cheney '04 Inc. which Coleman directly attributes in his article to the Washington Post.

• "DFL Chair Calls for Misleading Ad to be Taken Off the Air," Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, February 16, 2006.
• Nick Coleman, "New pro-war ad cynically exploits families' grief," Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN), February 17, 2006. Link expired; registration required.
• Scott Johnson, "The compleat Democrats' disgrace," Power Line Blog, February 21, 2006.
• "The controversy afar," Who's Makin' Bacon? Blogspot, February 22, 2006.
• Mike Mosedale, "KSTP refuses ad that criticizes the media for reporting bad news about Iraq. Hell No, We Don't Blow," City Pages (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN), February 22, 2006: "While KSTP was alone in refusing to run the 'Midwest Heroes' spot, both KARE (Channel 11) and WCCO (Channel 4) aired news stories about the ad. In other words, they chose to take both the beating and the money. ... While Progress for America did not return City Pages' calls, figures extrapolated from a report in the Star Tribune suggest the total market buy for the campaign was in the neighborhood of $600,000."
• "Chuck Larson, Freedom Fighter," Gavin's Journal Blogspot, February 23, 2006.
• Chris Woods, "Calls for State Sen. Chuck Larson's resignation," Political Forecast, February 24, 2006.
• Jennifer Chambers, "Fallen troops' families unite to aid peers, vets. Relatives form Mich. chapter of network, to give support at home and promote efforts abroad," The Detroit News, February 27, 2006.
• Jerry Wolffe, "Veterans, families on a mission for support. Michigan is sixth state to launch a chapter of Families United group," The Oakland Press, February 28, 2006: "Iowa, Minnesota, Louisiana, Oregon and Montana - have joined Families United. Next month, Ohio and Pennsylvania are expected to join, said Major Chuck Larson, founder of the nonprofit coalition."
• "Minn. tv station rejects 'misleading' ads on Iraq war," Associated Press (Marine Corps Times), March 2, 2006.
• "Group assists families of U.S. Soldiers," The Oregonian (Army Reserve in the News), March 2, 2006: "Larson has founded Families United chapters or similar entities in 35 states and said the organization wants to spread news about the good works of U.S. Soldiers who are building schools, hospitals and libraries."
• Bobby Hanafin, "A Blitz of Pro-War TV Ads Code Name 'TORNADO NEOCON' may be spinning toward Ohio and Pennsylvania – a bit of humor in the world of propaganda," Veterans for Common Sense, March 3, 2006.
• "Spinning the War?" NPR / Here & Now WBUR.org (Boston), March 15, 2006: "A campaign in Minnesota aims to tell voters to put the war in Iraq in a positive light. ... We speak to Iowa State Senator Chuck Larson, founder of Families for Our Troops, and Nick Coleman, a newspaper columnist in Minnesota, who says the campaign isn't grassroots at all."
• "Spinning the War?" NPR / Here & Now WBUR.org (Boston), March 15, 2006: "A campaign in Minnesota aims to tell voters to put the war in Iraq in a positive light. ... We speak to Iowa State Senator Chuck Larson, founder of Families for Our Troops, and Nick Coleman, a newspaper columnist in Minnesota, who says the campaign isn't grassroots at all."
• Joel Bleifuss, "Strangers to the Truth," In These Times, March 24, 2006.
• Mike Dorning, "TV ads push Iraq war support," Chicago Tribune (truthout), February 28, 2006.
• Stephen Dinan, "Families seek remembrance of Iraq liberation day," Washington Times, April 3, 2006: "In a Families United ad that debuted on Minnesota television stations early this year, veterans said news reports aren't doing justice to the war effort and that the military is in Iraq fighting al Qaeda, the terrorist group responsible for the September 11 attacks. ... Those ads were funded by the Progress for America Voter Fund, a pro-Republican advocacy group."
• "Iraqi Liberation Day," Dadmanly Blogspot, April 8, 2006 (also posted by Liberty Post.org): Includes email to "Dear PFA Supporter ..." from Chuck Larson.
• Todd Gitlin, "Evergreen Astroturf," TPM Cafe, April 9, 2006.

2007

• Kristinn, "D.C. Chapter Invited to Meet President Bush at White House Troop Support Event (Photos)," FreeRepublic.com, September 18, 2007. "Members of the D.C. Chapter of FreeRepublic.com were invited to the White House today for an event for troop support organizations with President Bush. Other groups included Vets for Freedom (in the beige polo shirts), Families United for Our Troops and Their Mission (in the red polos shirts), Move America Forward, Gathering of Eagles, the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars."
• B Merryfield, "Freedom's Watch backs Vets for Freedom," The Daily Kos, October 2, 2007.