An open letter to the eligible members of the Gold Star Wives of America

To the men and women who have lost a spouse in the service of our nation, or from a service-related cause:

First and foremost, I wish to express my sincere condolences for the loss of your loved one. I have suffered a similar loss in my own life. I wish you strength in your grief and speed in your recovery. And I wish to invite you to be a member in our organization.

You may wonder if you are a good fit with us. I am here to assure you that you are. The members of our organization come from all walks of life. They are united in that they know the special pain that comes from losing their spouses. But I also think that they are united in something more: a desire to keep living in the face of their loss.

And I know that desire—to keep living—is often difficult to find. In my case, my late husband was murdered in 2005 by a subordinate in a needless and preventable death. For me, the world felt so evil, it was hard to bear it.

But I am also a mother, and I found purpose in that. I have dedicated myself to finding justice for my husband by working to protect members of our armed forces from the criminals in their ranks. I have found new love in my life, and I celebrate the liberation that comes with it.

Yet it is still not easy for me, and I expect that it is not easy for you either.

And that’s where I think the Gold Star Wives of America can help. We are an organization dedicated to serving our members—to stand with them in the face of their adversity, because it is an adversity that we know all too well.

It’s really that simple. We know the road you travel, because we travel it ourselves. So please, if you haven’t already, sign up to become a member. Come to one of our chapter meetings.

We will greet you with the love, appreciation and support that you deserve.

Sincerely,

Siobhan Esposito
Vice President
Potomac Chapter of the Gold Star Wives of America, Inc.