A decade of honoring military families

In 10 years of existence, the Indiana Blue Star Salute has grown from a county-wide event, to a statewide event, but hasn't lost lost sight of its original purpose: to honor the families behind the men and women who serve our country.

On Saturday, American Legion family members, military supporters, public officials and hundreds of citizens from throughout the state gathered at the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds & Conference Complex in Danville, Ind., to celebrate and recognize military families as part of the 10th annual Indiana Blue Star Salute. The event combined entertainment, ceremonies, and remarks from dignitaries such as Gov. Mike Pence, (R-Ind.), and Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson as a means of honoring the several Blue Star families - and three Gold Star families - on hand.

"We're here to say thank you to all our military and their families, rather than them saying thank you to us," said Ralph "Zoc" Zocolillo, Indiana Blue Star Salute program chairman and member of Legion Post 145. "The sacrifices that those families make, when their loved ones are in harm’s way, we see the pain in their faces. They go through a lot.

"The day's festivities began with a "Ride For the Salute" in which motorcycle riders - many of whom were Legion Riders - rode from the Indy West Harley Davision dealership in Plainfield, Ind., to the site of the Blue Star Salute. The ride raised money for the American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund, which provides college scholarships to the children of servicemembers who died on or after 9/11.

The afternoon's official program featured remarks from Pence, Lawson, Maj. Gen. Courtnery P. Carr, adjutant general of Indiana, and Past National Commander Bob Spanogle. Three Gold Star families who lost children in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were also recognized during a Gold Star Flag presentation, accompanied by a playing of TAPS from local bugler Bruce McKee.

The pageantry and the extravagance of the event is a stark contrast to its modest roots. The Indiana Blue Star Salute began in 2005 as a local event aimed to recognize military families in the county. It has since grown to reach out to military families throughout the state, and welcome attendees from all parts of Indiana.

“It started with a couple of guys and gals down the street at the Legion post saying that we need to do something to take care of our servicemembers’ families," said Craig Cooley, a former event organizer and active Guardsmen whose wife and 8-month-old son were in attendance. "And now it is this. It has propelled itself into an amazing event every year that we wouldn’t miss.”

While the Indiana Blue Star Salute began 10 years ago through chatter at a local Legion post, the notion of the Blue Star Family has its origins in World War I, when families whose sons were fighting in the war would place a blue star in the windows of their homes to signify to the community that a member of the household was overseas. If the member of that family perished, the blue star was exchanged for a gold star to signify the ultimate sacrifice.

That spirit lives on today through the Indiana Blue Star Salute, and its cadre of organizers.

"The notion of recognizing and honoring the families comes easy to us because we were all veterans," said Paul Morton, Indiana Blue Star Salute vice chairman. "At the time of our service, we truly didn’t recognize what our families were going through, what it meant to our families when we were away."

The event is about honoring not just the families of servicemembers who are on the frontlines, said Cooley, but the families of all active-duty servicemembers who are away from loved ones regardless of where they are stationed.

“It is about honoring the military family… and making sure that we are paying our due diligence to all the people who have given their sacrifice," Cooley said. "Not just servicemembers who are downrange or serving in country right now, but the servicemembers who are gone and constantly not at home. It’s about honoring the families and the sacrifices they make."