From the NFRW Armed Services Committee
On May 1st we honor wounded, ill, and injured service members on what is known as Silver Star Banner Day. This is not to be confused with the Silver Star Medal. In May of 2010, Congress passed a resolution formalizing Silver Star Banner Day.
Service banners, more generically known as service flags, have been around since 1818. The banners are authorized by United States Code, Title 36, Section 901 Sec. 901 in the section titled “Service flag and service lapel button.”
- 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 families with a loved one serving in uniform display service banners in gold, blue, or silver.
- Each color represents something different: Gold – sacrifice (signifies a loved one died in uniform); Blue – hope (signifies a loved one is in uniform); and Silver – gallantry (signifies a loved one has been injured or sickened).
Military families with loved ones serving in uniform and/or deployed in combat are authorized to display service banners and/or service flags as authorized by military regulations in gold, blue, or silver. These flags are displayed in a window or can be worn as a lapel pin. Each star signifies how many loved ones are in uniform.