Governor Laura Kelly joined the Kansas Office of Veterans Services today to honor over 6,500 fallen Kansan service members and their families. This marks the third annual Kansas Gold Star Remembrance and Recognition Ceremony at the Statehouse, following Governor Kelly’s signing of Senate Bill 330 in 2022.

The bill established the Kansas Gold Star Families Memorial, which was unveiled that September on the “Veterans Walkway” along the south lawn of the Statehouse.

“Today is a special day to honor the memory of Kansas service members who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. It’s also a time to express our ongoing support for the Kansas families who have lost their loved ones,” said Brig. Gen. Bill Turner, director of the Kansas Office of Veterans Services. “I want to thank our federal and state partners, veteran service organizations, the military department survivor outreach coordinators, and fellow Kansans for joining us for this important ceremony.”

During the ceremony, Governor Kelly delivered remarks and laid a wreath in tribute to the fallen and their families. Attending Gold Star Families and guests were also invited to lay flowers in honor of their loved ones who sacrificed their lives for the nation. “For our Gold Star Families, there are no words or gestures that can ease the pain of such a loss or fill the void left in their homes and in their hearts. That will never go away,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Gold Star Mothers and Family’s Day is an important reminder that the cost of freedom is enormous and enduring, even long after the battles to protect it have ended.”