FREEHOLD – Monmouth County launched the Gold Star Parent Identification Card on September 30, aligning with Gold Star Mothers’ Day. This card is meant for the biological parents, legal guardians, and other legal custodians of members of the armed forces who died while on active duty for the United States.
“There are not enough ways to say thank you to the service members who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms and way of life,” said County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon. “My office is proud to provide these cards as a small way to honor their sacrifices and to remind their parents and guardians that the legacies of their sons and daughters will always be remembered.”
The Gold Star Card provides these parents with free access to New Jersey state parks, forests and beaches, and the New Jersey State Museum. It also affords cardholders discounts from local retailers that participate in the County Clerk’s “Honoring our Heroes” Military Appreciation Program.
The card is free. It identifies the parent with the branch of the armed forces in which their loved one served, along with personal information.
The title “Gold Star” comes from the Service Flags flown by families during World War I. A blue star was placed on the flag for every family member serving in the armed forces. If that individual died, it was replaced with a gold star.
Monmouth County residents must provide either of the following documentation at the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office in Freehold or the Monmouth County Connection in Neptune to apply for the Gold Star Card:
- Certification from an organization formed for the support of parents of members of the United States Armed Forces who lost their lives while on active duty (ex. American Gold Star Mothers, Inc.), confirming that the applicant is a parent, legal guardian or legal custodian
- The service member’s federal DD-1300 Form, Report of Casualty, which identifies the member of the Armed Forces who died while on active duty for the United States, plus documentation showing the applicant’s relationship to the service member.
The Monmouth County Clerk’s Office is located at 33 Mechanic Street, in the Market Yard Parking Lot in Freehold Borough. The Monmouth County Connection is located at 3544 Route 66 in Neptune, near Home Depot.
For more information, visit MonmouthCountyClerk.com or call the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office at 732-431-7324 or the Monmouth County Connection at 732-303-2828.
