When I tell people I have met that I am a gold star child, the first thing people think of are those shiny gold star stickers you would get if you did well on a test or assignment back in grade school. But, being a gold star child has nothing to do with grades, awards or shiny gold star stickers. A gold star child is the son or daughter of a U.S. service member who was killed in the line of duty. Being a gold star child has shaped me into the person I am today, to how I see the world, how I treat people, and how I view service, sacrifice and gratitude. My hope as a gold star child, who is so proud of her father every day, for his love for humanity, sacrifice and strength, is that we never lose sight of that.