When Grantham University first launched MyBlueStarFlag.com in 2006 we had one mission in mind: to show our support to 200,000 military families and loved ones by providing Blue Star Flags. We’re excited to announce that we just gave away our 200,000th flag!

“Grantham University has a rich tradition and history of service to our nation’s service members and veterans,” said Dr. Fred Snow, President. “This program not only gave families comfort while their loved ones were deployed, but it also created a solid support network where stories could be shared with each other.”

Now that we’ve met our initial goal, it’s time to reflect on what’s next for MyBlueStarFlag.com. Just like many of our service members transitioning home from Iraq and Afghanistan are closing a chapter in their lives and looking to the future; we are too. As of now, the site will no longer be taking requests for flags. Any requests made before that will be fulfilled.

January 6, 2011 – Grantham University, an online university dedicated to providing educational opportunities to military service men and women for 60 years, announced today that it has awarded its annual Blue Star Flag Scholarship to Army wife and mother, Carrie Murphy, of Waynesville, Mo. The scholarship will cover tuition costs, required textbooks, software, and fees for Mrs. Murphy to earn an undergraduate degree at Grantham.

Mrs. Murphy is married to Army Engineer, Brian, who has served in the military for nine and one-half years. Together, they have three children under the age of five. Mrs. Murphy applied for the Blue Star Flag scholarship because it is important to her to earn a college degree, a dream that she has not pursued until now because she did not want to be a burden on the family’s finances. Read full story >

A Glimpse into the Personal Journey of an Army Mom During the First Year of Her Son’s Career
By Kelly Hutchinson

I’ve read or heard somewhere that “letting go” begins the day your child is born. You want to hold him close to you forever and yet are so very proud of all the “firsts” of letting go – the first baby steps, the first words, the first lost tooth, the first day of school. And so, as a loving parent, you come to terms fairly early with the fact that life is a process. Besides, letting go is healthy. It’s a GOOD thing, as Martha Stewart would say (and no, I’m not a fan). You realize, on some level, that when you’ve done your job as a parent, it is gratifying to watch your child become independent and capable of taking care of himself in this mad, scary world. Notice I did not say it is “easy”, but that it is gratifying.

And so it is that the years fly by. You survive the first scraped knee, the first fight on the playground, the first broken bone, the first trip to the ER for stitches, the first girlfriend, and the first car. So much letting go. Too much to bear at times. But with each “letting go” there is a sense of joy as you watch this young person, your son coming into his own. You savor that sense of joy. Read full story >

LeAnn Van Buren

In today’s Army it is almost a guarantee that a soldier will deploy at some point in their career to a war zone. But what if you have in your family more than one soldier who will deploy? My husband and both my sons are in the army. We like to joke and say that my daughter rebelled and married a marine. I am very proud of my husband and everything he has done for our country. Military life is not easy, and it takes a lot of heart and commitment and faith in God. My sons are marching in their father’s footsteps and I have great pride in their selflessness and of the thousands of men and women who currently serve and who have served in the US Military. My husband and both my sons as well as my son in law will be serving overseas. I’m very proud of them. To keep moving I must rely on God and my family. I have a quote I keep close to my heart to help me through the tough times when I don’t hear from the men in my life. The quote is from Eleanor Roosevelt; You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. Read full story >