Dear folks, I have looked around at the regulations regarding who can display a Blue Star service flag in their window for a family member serving.

I don't think you can fly a Blue Star for a member who is serving regular, state side or even overseas in friendly conditions.

I know you can most definitely fly the flag if your family member is serving in war time.

 

I would be proud to fly the star in the window of our home, but only if we are eligible. The conditions are, our daughter is deployed to Germany under the recent NATO deployment orders related to the war in the Ukraine. She is on a NATO mission, with the possibility of being deployed further to Poland. So she is deployed related to hostile conditions. Does this qualify us to fly the Blue Star in the window of our home?

 

Again, I don't want unwarranted glory to grace our home, only if we are eligible. Thanks for any feedback, and reference material in support of, or denial of.

Here is an interesting article, would we be in the #3 group of the first paragraph of this article?

 

Service flag - Wikipedia

EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

 

Upon further reading, it may appear only families who have a member in the Armed Forces serving directly in a hostile action can display the Blue Star. Hmmm, I am confused. Like I said, I don't want to fly it if we are not eligible. But if we are eligible, how proud we'd be!

After following a few links (I never know if I should trust Wiki or not) I got this:

 

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/36/901

 

(a) Individuals Entitled To Display Service Flag.—

A service flag approved by the Secretary of Defense may be displayed in a window of the place of residence of individuals who are members of the immediate family of an individual serving in the Armed Forces of the United States during any period of war or hostilities in which the Armed Forces of the United States are engaged.

 

So as I read it, the service member doesn't have to be in the conflict zone but the U.S. must be engaged in a hostile conflict.

 

Prayers out for your daughter John.  She is filling a vital spot for us today with her skills and abilities.

Fly the flag. If someone is that petty they want to raise a stink. Send them my way. I'll go get some of my medals out of safe and they can suck it trying to figure out the how when and where.

 

Agree with Gunny. Fly the flag. 
Paul

I'm in no way an expert. Like Cal, I'm often skeptical of Wikipedia. IMHO, your specific instance is not worth picking fly specs out of the pepper. I say you/she have earned the right to display the Blue Star. By the nature of her training, just because she currently isn't physically in the midst of the war doesn't mean she isn't actively engaged. The medium(s) used today are far different than at anytime in history and doesn't always translate to "boots on the ground." My .02.

 

If you still have reservations, you might contact your local VFW and/or American Legion for input.

 

THANK-YOU dad for caring, sharing. Prayers to your family.

Fly the flag....there are still some out there that haven't a clue as to what it means.....

I agree with all of the above.  And I think Dave nailed it.  She's part of our family too, so I say screw the nit pickers, and show your, and our, pride.

The National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal are still being awarded so you are permitted to fly the Blue Star Service flag. It does not require that she be in active combat. Also there is conflicting information about the permissibility of flying it outdoors with the American flag. So I choose to fly it high and proud under my American flag to honor my daughter’s service in the Marine Corp!

Thank you for making this visible to members NOT already part of your group.  I've been trying to find something in writing about flying the service flag as my son is getting ready to deploy to Poland.  I'm currently both a wife and a mother of active duty service members.  Reading this it looks like I'm okay to fly a single blue star service flag for my son deploying to Poland?  Living on military installations we usually only fly when our spouse or children are deployed as a kind of "You are deployed and in harms way, and we are thinking and praying for you." and we take them down when our spouses/children return home.

 

Thank you,

D. McKannay

Wife, Mother, Aunt and Cousin to Active Duty Service Members.

Granddaughter, Daughter, Niece, Cousin and and in-law of former Service members. 

Former Service Member

My prayers to everyone deployed/deploying and those who have family deployed or deploying. 

5 hours ago, Deidre M. said:

Thank you for making this visible to members NOT already part of your group.  I've been trying to find something in writing about flying the service flag as my son is getting ready to deploy to Poland.  I'm currently both a wife and a mother of active duty service members.  Reading this it looks like I'm okay to fly a single blue star service flag for my son deploying to Poland?  Living on military installations we usually only fly when our spouse or children are deployed as a kind of "You are deployed and in harms way, and we are thinking and praying for you." and we take them down when our spouses/children return home.

 

Thank you,

D. McKannay

Wife, Mother, Aunt and Cousin to Active Duty Service Members.

Granddaughter, Daughter, Niece, Cousin and and in-law of former Service members. 

Former Service Member

My prayers to everyone deployed/deploying and those who have family deployed or deploying. 

Thank you and your family for both past and current service to our nation. May God bless and keep you all!

What Dave said!

So this is not a permanent thing? Once they leave the military then the flag comes down? TIA!

On 10/7/2023 at 9:25 AM, Ralph said:

So this is not a permanent thing? Once they leave the military then the flag comes down? TIA!

 Hey Ralph, welcome to our forums, I do believe that is the case.