DMV unveils new license plate for Gold Star families
The New York State DMV unveiled its new Gold Star Family license plate that enables parents, siblings and other relatives to honor their late relatives’ service and sacrifice. Credit: NYDMV
The Department of Motor Vehicles announced a new license plate Friday for drivers to honor their loved ones who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
The Gold Star Family license plate was made possible in part by Adam DeMarsico, whose brother Michael was killed in Afghanistan in 2012. DeMarsico had a Gold Star Family plate while living in Massachusetts, but when he moved to New York, he learned it was not yet available, according to the DMV.
"Gold Star families carry a weight that never fully lifts," DeMarsico wrote in a statement. "By establishing these license plates, New York is making a simple, powerful promise: that the lives of our fallen heroes matter, and that their families will always be recognized, honored, and supported."
The gold star symbol originates from World War I, where families flew service flags with blue stars for every immediate family member serving in the military. If that person died, their family would replace the blue stars with gold stars.
The new Gold Star Family plate will supplement the existing Gold Star Mother plates for mothers whose children died while serving in the military. The United States began observing Gold Star Mother’s Day on the last Sunday in September, in 1936, according to the military.
"We offer many plates that honor veterans and their service, but this is a long overdue addition that we are glad is now finally here," DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder wrote in a statement.
The DMV also offers plates for U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and disabled veterans, among others. Members of the National Guard or groups like the American Legion, or those who served in conflicts like the Korean War, can also order specific plates.
Drivers can order Gold Star Family plates with numbers assigned by the DMV for $60, with an annual renewal fee of $31.25, or plates with personalized numbers for $91.25 with an annual renewal fee of $62.50.
State Sen. Stephen Chan of Brooklyn is sponsoring a bill seeking to eliminate the fees for veterans and active-duty military license plates.
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