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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      The Air Force hosted its first Gold Star and Surviving Family Members Summit focused on enduring support for Gold Star and Surviving family members.Air Force hosts Gold Star and Surviving Family Members summit
                        
                        
                        Surviving family members, Air Force leaders and various military subject matter experts pose for a group photo following the first Air Force Gold Star and Surviving Families Summit, in Shalimar, Fla., April 30, 2019. Senior leaders who attended include, Mrs. Dawn Goldfein, spouse of Chief of Staff of the Air Force David L. Goldfein, Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly, Air Force Manpower, Personnel and Services deputy chief of staff and Maj. Gen. Andrew Toth, Air Force’s Personnel Center commander. (U.S. Air Force photo by Angelina Casarez)
                
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        The Air Force hosted its first Gold Star and Surviving Family Members Summit focused on enduring support for Gold Star and Surviving family members.Air Force hosts Gold Star and Surviving Family Members summit
                        
                        
                        Mrs. Dawn Goldfein, spouse of Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein, provides opening remarks to surviving family members at the first Air Force Gold Star and Surviving Families Summit, in Shalimar, Fla., April 30, 2019. The event focused on sharing information, listening and advancing support for surviving family members. (U.S. Air Force photo by Angelina Casarez)
                
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        The Air Force hosted its first Gold Star and Surviving Family Members Summit focused on enduring support for Gold Star and Surviving family members.Air Force hosts Gold Star and Surviving Family Members summit
                        
                        
                        Mrs. Dawn Goldfein, spouse of Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein, speaks with Tim Schwartz, surviving father of Tech. Sgt. Matthew Schwartz, in Shalimar, Fla., April 30, 2019. This was the first Air Force Gold Star and Surviving Families Summit which brought surviving family members together. (U.S. Air Force photo by Angelina Casarez)
                
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        The Air Force hosted its first Gold Star and Surviving Family Members Summit focused on enduring support for Gold Star and Surviving family members.Air Force hosts Gold Star and Surviving Family Members summit
                        
                        
                        Jaclyn Mariano, surviving daughter of Master Sgt. Jude Mariano, speaks to survivors and subject matter experts from various military organizations during the Air Force Gold Star and Surviving Families Summit Facebook live question and answer session in Shalimar, Fla., April 30, 2019. Jaclyn, 28, is a Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS, mentor to other children of fallen service members. (U.S. Air Force photo by Angelina Casarez)
                
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        The Air Force hosted its first Gold Star and Surviving Family Members Summit focused on enduring support for Gold Star and Surviving family members.Air Force hosts Gold Star and Surviving Family Members summit
                        
                        
                        Surviving children of fallen Airman, Tech. Sgt. Marty Bettelyoun, pose for a photo during the Air Force Gold Star and Surviving Families Summit in Shalimar, Fla., April 30, 2019. The event focused on sharing information, listening and advancing support for surviving family members. (U.S. Air Force photo by Angelina Casarez)
                
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Air Force hosts Gold Star and Surviving Family Members summitPublished May 2, 2019
                    
                    By Angelina Casarez
                    
                    
                    Air Force's Personnel Center Public Affairs
            **SHALIMAR, Fla. (AFNS) --**The Air Force hosted its first Gold Star and Surviving Family Members Summit at the Air Force Enlisted Village, Shalimar, Florida, April 30.
The event, supported by the Air Force Families Forever Program, focused on enduring support for Gold Star and Surviving family members.
“So many of you, even in your grief, have shown us what it means to be resilient, to create post traumatic growth, to take life’s challenges and meet them head on by creating awareness,” said Mrs. Dawn Goldfein, spouse of the Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein. “Today is about sharing, listening and inspiring. My husband and I cannot thank you enough for being here and for your willingness to share your ideas, stories and your heart.”
Surviving family members from the local area were invited to attend the event. They provided insight on how the program has helped them and how the Air Force can continue to support surviving families in the future.
“We are here to share information, to listen and advance the support for Gold Star and Surviving Family Members,” said Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly, Air Force Manpower, Personnel and Services deputy chief of staff.
It was an intimate setting, with fewer than 40 surviving family members in attendance. They shared special memories of their loved ones and met and talked with leadership about their experiences as a surviving family member. For those unable to attend, there was an opportunity to take part virtually during a Facebook live question and answer session with a panel of subject matter experts from the Air Force Families Forever and Casualty Affairs programs, Office of the Secretary of Defense and Veterans Affairs Office of Survivors Assistance, as well as several Gold Star members.
“Providing this event to surviving families is an important step in the right direction as we continue to strengthen the Air Force Families Forever program,” said Peggy Haldeman, Airman and Family Readiness policy analyst. “Our goal is to take the feedback we received, review our policies and see how we can continue to build a gold standard program for the Air Force.”
Throughout the day, families echoed sentiments of how important it is to not only be around other surviving family members, but to continue to speak the names of their fallen Airmen. Events such as these help foster the goals to enhance support of surviving families.
There were three breakout sessions specific to parents, spouses and children of fallen Airmen. The sessions fostered discussions among surviving family members and provided comfort to each other as they shared experiences and talked through their individual needs as survivors and how best to keep their fallen heroes’ spirit alive. The consensus among survivors was that it’s invaluable to have support from each other, but also from the branch of service their fallen service member served.
“My favorite part of the event was meeting other Gold Star adult children,” said Jaclyn Mariano, daughter of Air Force Master Sgt. Jude Mariano, killed in action in 2004. “They gave me hope.”
Mariano is a Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors mentor to other children of fallen service members and her experiences as a survivor have encouraged her to pursue her medical degree in psychiatry, specializing in children with special needs.
The Air Force Families Forever program, established in 2010, ensures survivors of fallen Airmen receive specific support at varying touchpoints after an Airman’s passing. Support is provided in the form of information and referral resources and connection to installation functions.
“You are Air Force Families forever, that’s our commitment to you,” said Kelly.
The summit participants included survivors of Airmen who died while on active duty. This includes Gold Star survivors whose Airmen died during combat or terrorist activities as well as those who died in peacetime.
“You are part of a military family, with an uncommon bond, one that has been strengthened through your shared experiences, your compassion and your tears,” Goldfein said. “You have raised our awareness and we will raise our standards. You are our Air Force family forever. We remember.”
For more information about the program, visit Air Force Families Forever.AFWN 



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