Mission HANKS
Too many Gold Star Families navigate loss without a direct bridge to the service members, from every branch, who served shoulder-to-shoulder with their fallen loved one.
Bridging the Gap Between Families and Comrades
Launched by the foundation in 2026, Mission HANKS is our dedicated registry and outreach initiative designed to locate surviving brothers-in-arms, restore battlefield context, and ensure surviving families are never forgotten by the units that carried their fallen heroes.
Whether your family is seeking answers regarding a unit's history, looking to coordinate an introduction with surviving squad members, or wishing to attend annual veteran reunions, we serve as your confidential, trusted liaison.
The story doesn't end on the battlefield. It continues through the families who carry their name and the comrades who keep their memory alive.
Mission HANKS began with the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines Association and is expanding across all branches to connect and support Gold Star Families nationwide.
Registry Capabilities & Support
Finding Those Who Served
We connect families with unit associations and reunion organizers who already know the people who served. With your permission, we share your registry information with those groups, reach out through our own veteran network, and help Gold Star Families from the same unit find one another.
Reunion Attendance
We coordinate and assist Gold Star Families in attending official battalion, company, and squad reunions, creating a safe and welcoming space to meet the men and women who shared their loved one's journey.
Direct Survivor Care
Connecting families with survivor benefits, memorial scholarship funds, and grief navigation resources through vetted partner foundations across the veteran and military support ecosystem.
Help Mission HANKS Grow
Mission HANKS is new, and it grows with every family, unit, and supporter who joins. There are three ways to be part of it.
Gold Star Families
Join the registry so we can connect you with your loved one's unit, upcoming reunions, and other families who share your story.
Join the RegistryMilitary Units
Active-duty units and unit associations can help us reach the families of their fallen. Partner with us to invite Gold Star Families to reunions, memorials, and unit events, and to keep those connections going.
Get Your Unit InvolvedSupporters
Your gift helps us build the registry, reach more families, and help Gold Star Families travel to reunions with the units their loved ones served in.
Support Mission HANKS
Join the Mission HANKS Registry
Mission HANKS was created to honor all next of kin and survivors, the families who carry the legacy of those who gave everything in service to our nation.
For every name we remember, there is a family we must never forget.
Register HereMission HANKS is a voluntary registry. Information submitted is kept confidential and used only for official communication related to reunions, events, and updates. Privacy Policy