Gold Star Families To Be Recognized in New Ways in NJ

Garden State residents will soon have new ways to recognize families who've lost loved ones in combat, also known as Gold Star Families.

Ocean County Freeholder Deputy Director Jerry Little says during a recent luncheon with Gold Star Moms in Brick, he learned they're working on getting a Flag of Remembrance adopted in New Jersey.

"The Flag is split on the top its red to recognize the blood that has been shed in defense of our freedom and the bottom half is white to recognize the purity of the men and women who serve in our Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines and in the middle is a large gold star to recognize the gold star that is awarded to families who have lost a soldier and then it has a triangular flag, the United States Flag located inside the gold star and that is of course to symbolize the flag that is given to the families once it is removed from the casket at burial and there's an eternal flame in the middle to recognize that freedom is not free."

Little says so far, four States have adopted the Gold Star Families Flag.

Little says a local American Legion Post member also paved the way for a new license plate for Gold Star Families. He says it was signed into law by Governor Chris Christie last year. Little says we should soon start seeing the "My Hero" license plates on vehicles. He says "They'll be designated with M H and then a number and these license plates will also have an American Flag emblazoned on them and at the bottom it says Gold Star Families."

Little says when motorist see License plates with the initials M H on them they'll know that those families have given a tremendous sacrifice.

Ocean County has lost 12 soldiers in the War on Terror.