Hegseth chairs first-ever Gold Star Advisory Council meeting, giving families direct line to Pentagon

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The Department of War's Gold Star Advisory Council (GSAC) convenes for the first time Monday, providing an unprecedented, direct channel for families of fallen service members to meet and engage with senior military leadership and have their voices heard at the decision-making level.

"Today marks the first time a Gold Star Advisory Council convened at the Secretary of War level," Secretary of War Pete Hegseth exclusively told Fox News Digital. "This council is long overdue for Gold Star families to elevate their voices directly to Department leadership, tackle real concerns, and transform the casualty process for good. It has my full backing to call out the failures, shake up the bureaucratic status quo, and drive the changes that will stick."

Gold Star families are relatives of U.S. military members who lost their lives in service. 

The GSAC was established in May, through a memorandum signed by Hegseth. Its mission is rooted in honoring the ultimate sacrifice of America's warfighters and ensuring that the families left behind are never forgotten.

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Meeting at least twice each year, the council will be charged with offering policy recommendations, holding the department accountable and providing a permanent forum for Gold Star families to share concerns and propose solutions.

Co-vice chairs include Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness Anthony Tata, alongside Jane Horton, a Gold Star wife and senior advisor to the Secretary of War. 

Together, they are to bring senior-level expertise and the deeply personal perspective of those who have borne loss firsthand.

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"Gold Star Families are vital to our military community and our mission," Tata said to Fox News Digital.

"Their strength and resilience are truly inspiring and emblematic of the warrior ethos that we strive to promote throughout the Total Force. The Gold Star Advisory Council is a testament to their enduring service to our nation."

He added that the council represents an enduring commitment:

"The Gold Star Advisory Council will enable the Department to continue remembering our fallen Service members and delivering on our promise to take care of the families they left behind."

Tata also praised his co-vice-chair's "extraordinary efforts" to elevate Gold Star families by "telling their stories, and keeping the memories of our fallen heroes alive." He expressed his appreciation for Horton's "advocacy, representation, and leadership."

Horton echoed both Hegseth and Tata's charge and highlighted the council's mission-driven purpose.

"The Secretary's charge is clear: every warrior must know that if the worst should happen, their family will never be forgotten, and their sacrifice will never be overlooked," she said to Fox News Digital.

"The Gold Star Advisory Council exists to create real, lasting change. We are not symbolic. We are a mission-driven body of Gold Star Families and senior leaders focused on reforming the systems that shape casualty assistance, long-term care, and how our nation honors the fallen.

"The strength of this council lies in those who have borne unimaginable loss and still choose to lead. We are here to serve our warriors."