Today Governor Josh Stein and the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs hosted a reception to honor the enduring sacrifice of Gold Star Families and Families of the Fallen. September is recognized as Gold Star Families Month, honoring families of fallen U.S. servicemembers.
“Gold Star Families belong to a heartbreaking club that no one seeks to join,” said Governor Josh Stein. “North Carolina is committed to being the very best state in the nation for veterans and military families, and our commitment to Gold Star Families does not end once their loved one’s service has been tragically cut short. This Gold Star Families Month, and every month, we must do everything we can for military families to honor all that they have sacrificed for our country and its freedoms.”
“The sacrifices made by Gold Star Families and Families of the Fallen can never fully be repaid, and their losses will never be forgotten,” said Secretary Jocelyn Mitnaul Mallette of the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “As we recognize Gold Star Families Month, we honor both the extraordinary lives of their beloved servicemembers and the courage these families demonstrate every day. North Carolina is proud to stand with them, remember their heroes, and uphold our commitment to serving those who have shouldered the cost of freedom.”
North Carolina boasts the fourth-largest military presence in the nation, including the most populated Army base in the world and the primary East Coast base of the Marine Corps. The state is home to more than 90,000 active-duty military personnel, more than 40,000 National Guard and Reserve servicemembers, more than 600,000 military veterans, and nearly 150,000 military family members. Governor Stein’s administration is committed to supporting North Carolina’s military families and veterans. In May, the Governor signed an executive order that directs all cabinet agencies to designate a Military Affairs Coordinator to coordinate shared efforts supporting servicemembers and recommend strategies for addressing opportunities and challenges in supporting military communities.
Last year, Governor Stein signed into law four bills that support servicemembers and their families, helping military spouses transfer their professional licenses from out of state, making it easier to remotely renew driver licenses, aiding parents enrolling their children in public schools, and helping military students afford tuition in the University of North Carolina System. In August 2025, Governor Stein announced North Carolina became a Do Your Part State – a joint initiative between Blue Star Families and the National Governors Association that supports military families.
On November 17, Governor Stein will present six distinguished North Carolinians with the North Carolina Award, the state’s highest civilian honor, including Lt. General Kevin Vereen (Ret.) who closed his career as the Army’s Deputy Chief of Staff. Proceeds from ticket sales for the awards ceremony at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh will go to two charities that benefit veterans and military families: Blue Star Families and Camp Corral. Blue Star Families is a national nonprofit organization that supports military families through the challenges of military life by better connecting them with the communities they live in during their servicemembers’ military assignments. Camp Corral is a national nonprofit organization committed to supporting the children of wounded, ill, and fallen servicemembers through recreational and educational programming that helps build emotional resilience and transformational skills.
Click here to hear from the speakers at the event.
Media outlets are invited to use B-roll from the event in their coverage.