This image, posted on Flickr by Brian Moore is very poignant. Of course blogging can be perfectly safe from the AOR (Area of Responsibility, i.e. Iraq or Afghanistan), but considering OPSEC (operational security) is always important for anyone in the AOR. Anyone? Certainly. There are more than just military service members in the AOR. There are tens of thousands of contractors and DoD civilians working in the war.
A little bit of history behind the "Gold Star" will be helpful to really bring home the point. US Code 901 governs and allows the use of "service banners."
From US Flag.Org: "The history of the Service Flag is as patriotic and touching as the symbolism each star represents to the families that display them.
The service flag (also known as "blue star banners" or "son in service flags") was designed and patented by World War I Army Captain Robert L. Queissner of the 5th Ohio Infantry who had two sons serving on the front line. The flag quickly became the unofficial symbol of a child in service. President Wilson became part of its history when in 1918 he approved a suggestion made by the Women's Committee of the Council of National Defenses that mothers who had lost a child serving in the war to wear a gold gilt star on the traditional black mourning arm band.
This led to the tradition to cover the blue star with a gold star on the Service flag to indicate that the service member has died or been killed.
The color of the stars is also symbolic in that the blue star represents hope and pride and the gold star represents sacrifice to the cause of liberty and freedom."
I love reading blogs and postings from the AOR, but this poster should remind us all of how carefully crafted these posts must be. Blue stars are a sign of pride and hope, as mentioned above, but to blog and cause a blue star to turn gold is irresponsible and most likely at least criminal, if not treasonous.
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