Blue Star Banner shows appreciation

It's an American tradition to display a Blue Star Service Banner in the window of a home when a loved one is proudly serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. As Americans support troops deployed overseas in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Blue Star Service Banner is a reminder that war touches every neighborhood.

The American Legion is a strong support of the Blue Star Banner program, providing banners to military families across the nation following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Banners are available for purchase through the Legion's Emblem Sales. American Legion by posts, districts and departments also are encouraged to conduct Blue Star Banner programs in their own communities.

This year's Indiana Blue Star Salute raised $11,000 for The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund, which provides college assistance for the children of military personnel who lost their lives on duty since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The Legion's Public Relations Division has created a guide to conducting a Blue Star Service Banner program in your community.  For more information, contact The American Legion Public Relations Office at (317) 630-1253.