The Gold Star Lapel Button is a federal military honor awarded to eligible family members of service members who died in the line of duty. The Department of Defense has administered this honor since 1947, reflecting the nation's respect for the ultimate sacrifice of U.S. Armed Forces personnel.
Eligible applicants include widows, widowers, parents, stepparents (including adoptive), children, and siblings of a deceased service member. The service member's death must be connected to active military duty. Qualifying circumstances include deaths from World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and other authorized operations.
Only one application is typically submitted per family, though multiple eligible members each have an individual right to the button.
After completing the form, mail it to the branch-specific address for the deceased service member:
Processing typically takes 6 to 8 weeks after the application is received and verified.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Form Name | Dd Form 3 |
| Form Length | 2 pages |
| Fillable? | No |
| Fillable fields | 0 |
| Avg. time to fill out | 30 sec |
| Other names | FEB, Washington, Matsu, 1958 |