Contributions by TAPS

TAPS is proud to announce that we have been named the TIME101, in partnership with Gillette. Tune in to the TIME100 Gala on May 12.

Close to 100 military and veteran surviving family members, representing 25 states, walked the halls of the U.S. Capitol in late September.

Since 1994, TAPS continues to honor the fallen and comfort and empower their survivors through a unique combination of services.

For children grappling with the loss of a loved one, the holiday season brings a mix of emotions. Here are some tips to find moments of joy amidst the grief.

TAPS would like to offer the following tips to help those who are grieving the death of a loved one this holiday season.

Dr. Lynda Davis was awarded the prestigious 2023 MG Alan B. Salisbury Salute to Service Award for Board Impact.

Losing someone you love to suicide comes with complex grief. You may ask yourself why or what if or even wrestle with guilt. You are not alone.

TAPS is working hard to help pass a comprehensive remarriage bill. Read personal testimonials by survivors to understand why this is important.

If you are a military survivor and have an education-related concern or question, let TAPS Education Support Services help.

Good Grief Camp children and TAPS volunteers come together to create a wreath to honor their special loved one over Memorial Day weekend.

Summary of the collaboration of research on the journey of the growing population of bereaved caregivers and suicide survivors.

A collaboration of research on the journey of the growing population of bereaved caregivers and suicide survivors.

TAPS helped surviving families honor their heroes and make incredible memories alongside their favorite athletes and teams.

April is the Month of the Military Child. Purple Up Day is April 15. There are also opportunities to celebrate our surviving children and teenagers.

This guide provides information on mourning styles, relationship factors, types of grief, as well as helpful information on how grief impacts a person.

Understand the type of education options and financial support available exclusively to survivors to help smooth the path to higher education.

Writing can be a path that leads to peace. Writing down how you feel can help you reflect on your loved one’s life and lighten the emotional weight you carry.

What inspired you; what continues to motivate you? One survivor shares how TAPS Women inspired her to find purpose after loss.

A surviving spouse shares her remarriage story. The Love Lives On Act would allow surviving spouses to remarry at any age and maintain their benefits.

TAPS Care Groups are safe, welcoming spaces in your local area to connect with those who understand grief because they’re experiencing it too.

Read about Holly Higgins, surviving mother of U.S. Air Force Daniel James Johnson, remembering her son and her work with Heroes Journey.

This year, consider a New Year’s exploration: What do you need? How, and who, do you want to be? And what’s keeping you from getting there?

We wanted to share just a few of the hundreds of events hosted for TAPS by our TAPS Families This year.

Read about what Leslie Jackson Vallade, surviving spouse of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Devin Scott Vallade, Sr., has learned on her grief journey.

We’ve been inspired to see TAPS families navigating the holiday season by creating Holiday Tribute Trees in memory of their military loved ones.

Read about Sheri Lipscomb's, surviving spouse of U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Ricardo Lipscomb, experience at a Salute to Service event and more.

In 2021, Women's Empowerment welcomed more first-time attendees than any other TAPS Program, with 2,231 women attending nearly 160 online events.

Read about Shelley Keas, Team TAPS participant and surviving spouse of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Jeff Keas.

At TAPS seminars, the TAPS peer-to-peer model and the healing power of connecting with someone who has walked in their shoes is displayed in full force.

TAPS partnership with the National Park Trust and Trout Unlimited helps create connections and coping skills close to home for surviving families.

This November, join with fellow survivors to acknowledge the bittersweet nature of the holidays and the emotions that can come along with them.

Medal of Honor Recipient Hershel "Woody" Williams was a Marine whose uncommon valor was equaled by his uncommon kindness.

Build internal capacity to deal with life's challenges and changes so during times of distress we can better cope, engage with life, and find purpose.

Read about Ideliz Mora-Cruz, surviving sister of U.S. Army SGT Geraldo Andre Mora Cruz and TAPS Survivor Care Team associate.

To our TAPS Family enduring the added stress of natural disasters in an already stressful time, our hearts are with you. You are not alone.

TAPS families had the chance visit with the Congressional leadership that supported the resolution for Gold Star Families Remembrance Week.

Read about Matt Daud, surviving father of U.S. Marine CPL Christopher Daud, retired airline pilot, TAPS Peer Mentor & TAPS Survivor Care Team associate.

The International Live Events Association Esprit Awards recognize excellence in industry professionals’ most creative and innovative events.

This program focuses on 5 Pillars of Growth and Healing: personal development, career guidance, communications, financial stability, & service to others.

In addition to peer support and services that TAPS provides, we also connect you to grief resources close to home.

This legislation ensures veterans exposed to burn pits, toxins, and airborne hazards while deployed are provided access to VA health care and benefits.

Whether you are a surviving brother, father, battle buddy, adult child, or spouse, you have a home at TAPS.

His precious family, our nation, and our TAPS family will dearly miss TAPS Honorary Board member, the Honorable Robert J. Dole.

In light of challenging times, we are even more thankful for the in-person and virtual opportunities that our partners helped provide for our TAPS families.

Get parenting tips to help your grieving child problem solve, strengthen their sense of security, and provide moral support and encouragement.

Discover the ways to support TAPS. We also welcome your creative ideas!

If you or your child are exploring post-secondary education opportunities, TAPS Education Support Services is at the ready to help you navigate the process.

The updated Online Community allows you to explore all of our online programs – online groups, workshops, and coping skills programs – in one place.

Download our one-page resource that offers age-appropriate words that will help our youngest survivors begin to understand what has transpired.

Your TAPS Policy Team testified before Congress on five separate occasions and submitted statements for the record on important survivor issues.

Based on Dana Canedy’s bestselling memoir, A Journal for Jordan follows the true story of U.S. Army First Sergeant Charles Monroe King, Canedy’s fiancée.

Learn ways to your navigate grief while also supporting your children’s need to experience all that the holidays can be for them.

teams4taps and the PGA TOUR Superstore joined forces to create events for survivors to honor their military loved ones through their favorite sport — golf!

Dignity Memorial® has designed recommendations to help us build our resilience and take care of ourselves while we grieve.

This guide was written by survivors, for survivors, and will give you a roadmap to guide you on your journey of grief. You are not alone.

As we forward our mission to care for the families of America’s fallen heroes, TAPS is honored to be supported by the Department of Defense.

Throughout more than a decade of dedicated service, survivor Kim Ruocco has inspirationally reduced the silence and stigma surrounding suicide.

Now more important than ever, TAPS is supporting Gold Star Families who are reeling from the chaos in Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover.

See the graphics from a commemorative book of 56 American flags flown in the 46th Presidential Inauguration and later presented to TAPS Families.

This Memorial May, TAPS proudly partnered once again with Carry The Load as a national, non-profit partner.

Dignity Memorial helps newly bereaved military survivors by providing grief support materials connecting families with the TAPS Survivor Care Team.

Together, we are stronger and continue to grow in our grief journey, honoring our heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy.

As we come together to honor our nation's fallen heroes, we pause to reflect on the life they led and the sacrifices made for the freedoms we enjoy every day.

When our loved ones serve, the whole family serves and the TAPS family will pause throughout May to recognize and remember.

As flowers bloom, trees take their familiar green shape, and warmer weather greets us, we have an opportunity to explore new growth in ourselves as well.

As we walk together through our grief, let us pause to see the real splendor in nature and ponder ways to serve others while honoring our loved ones.

On this Purple Up! Day, we share stories of service and sacrifice from Legacy Mentors, in their own words.

Navigating our grief journey together and seeing the beauty that surrounds us can refuel us to reach out and connect with others at TAPS.

Is there a female from TAPS or elsewhere in your life that has provided support or been an inspiration to you along your grief journey?

Each step of the way our TAPS Family has been there to support us and keep us connected virtually during the pandemic.

As we go into a new year, we hold close in our hearts the realization that compassionate care can make the biggest difference in this life we share.

The pandemic hasn’t stopped us from lacing up and running, jumping on our bikes, or hiking a trail as we raise funds to support the vital programs of TAPS.

Winter and the holiday season bring thoughts of foods that offer warmth, comfort, and remind us of cherished times with family, friends, and loved ones.

On National Coffee Day, we give a huge TAPS Family thank you to Starbucks for providing survivors a comforting place to meet.

This twenty-year journey is a story filled with passion, determination, reverence, love and a happenstance or two thrown in along the way.

"Love Lives On" album is a reminder of the guardians of our freedom and a reminder that the family also serves. Ten stories, ten families. Voices united.

The warm embrace of your TAPS family is as close as your living room, your kitchen table or your front porch.

This memorial month of May, Carry the Load goes virtual to honor our nation’s heroes: military, veterans, first responders and their families.

Melissa will be presented with the Military Mentor of the Year at the TAPS Honor Guard Gala in Washington, D.C. on March 18.

Volunteer Peer Mentors and mental health professionals facilitated over 560 TAPS Care Groups in 2019, up from 280 groups the previous year.

Peer Mentors often find that providing companionship to others contributes to their own growth and healing.

The Suicide Postvention Model informs all TAPS suicide programming and has been implemented in programs across the country and internationally.

Carol Lane created the Saturday Morning Message as a way to lift spirits and to provide an outlet for sharing about loved ones lost.

TAPS is a love story. For 25 years, wherever there is grief and hearts that need to be comforted, the TAPS family has offered love and compassion.

The Lapis Lazili Hope bracelets are made by hand in Kabul, with Lapis Lazili gemstones mined in Afghanistan and shipped to the United States.

TAPS College Experience is a college preparatory retreat for surviving high school students who get to meet with experts in higher education.

Jason helps guide Boeing’s philanthropy, charitable partnerships, sponsorships and employee volunteer program to improve military community lives.

The Colorado Springs Songwriters Classic once again will help us to continue supporting families of the fallen and honor our loved ones.

Through the teams4taps program, survivors of all ages are able to find renewed hope in a community where they do not feel alone in their grief.

TAPS is leading the way in curating a library of legislation, medical studies, media and research relevant to the issue of toxic exposure in the military.

TAPS is among military family advocates and veteran organizations to advocate for Congressional support to end the "widows’ tax,".

Cyclists, register today for the June 1 Challenge Ride as a member of Team TAPS. You will receive a limited edition Team TAPS jersey.

Incoming college freshmen, apply by June 14 to receive fun and useful items to help get you started at college while honoring your loved one.

Hosted by ABC News correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton, the podcast is a road map to survival, offering inspiring insight on how to regain balance and get back to life.

Sesame Street celebrates 50 years of providing quality educational programming and resources to help children grow smarter, stronger and kinder.

A group of young adult military survivors attended an educational tour of New York City to explore career and cultural opportunities .

TAPS Advisory Board members received awards and recognition at the Association for Death Education and Counseling at their conference on April 12.

The Detroit Lions are offering educational scholarships to Michigan children who have suffered the loss of a parent or sibling who served in the military.

Over the next four days, TAPS will share a 4 part plan to support survivors through trauma to a place where hope, healing and, eventually, growth can take place.

Last May, employees of BAE Systems packed 550 Hugs To Go bags for surviving children attending the National Good Grief Camp in Washington, D.C.

John Jarecki hosts a Military Mentor event in Alexandria, Virginia, to help recruit other mentors and to raise funds for TAPS on February 26.

TAPS will present the Senator Ted Stevens Leadership Award to surviving sibling Angel Pansini at our 25th Anniversary TAPS Honor Guard Gala on March 6.

For Flashback Friday, we re-publish a letter the late Sen. Ted Stevens wrote in gratitude for staff and sponsors work supporting surviving military families.

Gift bags given to nominees at this Sunday’s Academy Awards in Los Angeles will include a special bracelet that comes from Afghanistan with a message of hope.

Suicide survivors, learn new new ways to navigate your grief journey at the Healing After Suicide Loss Conference in Denver, Colorado on April 27.

A volunteer since 2001, Rob continues to provide outstanding support of children grieving the loss their fallen heroes.

TAPS' Suicide Postvention Model of Support includes helping survivors to move focus away from how their loved ones died, and to focus on how they lived.

A TAPS Peer Mentor now helping other survivors heal, recalls the roller coaster of emotions that come with losing the love of your life.

More than 60 grief professionals attended a 2-day Techniques of Grief Therapy workshop with grief expert Robert Neimeyer, PhD.

Thanks to NFL, USAA, and a very special NFL coach, TAPS surviving families attend the Super Bowl LIII to honor their fallen military heroes.

In the spring 2002, TAPS celebrated the publication of the first issue of TAPS Magazine in the full-color, glossy format we enjoy today.

TAPS families are at the Pro Bowl in Florida this weekend to honor the lives of their fallen heroes and cheer on their favorite athletes and teams.

TAPS young adult survivors, apply before February 1 to attend this a four-day, intensive event of professional development in New York City.

Megan Gibbs shares how TAPS has brought comfort to herself and her family for nearly 20 years and now is paying it forward.

Register with Team TAPS for the Disney Princess Half Marathon February 21-24, the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon March 15-17 and other races in 2019.

Carolyn, who is now 28, was only 9 years old when she generously shared cherished memories of her father, Army Maj. Robert Horton.

Since 1994, TAPS has provided comfort and hope through a national peer support network and connection to grief resources to surviving loved ones.

TAPS Togethers and Care Groups are relaxed, casual gatherings that encourage connection in our communities and with each other.

Our TAPS family brings light into the darkness of grief. Join us May 24 to 27, 2019 as we focus on the light of the love we have shared and continue to share.

The NFL’s Salute to Service is a year-round effort to honor, empower and connect service members, veterans and their families.

“Grieving children need to feel that they are being heard and understood.”

“We can never forget because they will never forget,” said Daniel, a former drill sergeant.

Surviving families unite to honor loved ones who served in the American and British Armed Forces.

Playing November 15 and 19 in select theaters. Visit BandstandBroadway.com to purchase tickets for this unforgettable show.

#BeThere. Learn the warning signs or symptoms that may lead to suicide and the resources available to help.

TAPS Casework Assistance team is always here to guide you through your benefit questions and put you in touch with the right people.

Playing June 25 and 28 in select theaters. Visit BandstandBroadway.com to purchase tickets for this unforgettable show.

Step away from the stresses of daily life and learn how to grieve as a family with the tools we provide at a TAPS Family campout this summer.

TAPS is welcoming our recent graduates to college with a free education care package.

TAPS International is a global coalition of military survivor peer-based programs.

The Safeway Foundation is funding this initial training series to be held at Veteran Centers in California.

Diana Hosford, as a partner of The Diana Award, will be a part of the Windsor Castle public gallery May 19 for Prince Harry & Ms. Markle’s wedding.

D.G. Yuengling & Son raise a toast to honor our military heroes during the month of May.

For three years, surviving military parents Andy and Julianne Weiss have been holding the tender hands of those in grief.

Fulfilling the promise Joanne made to her son gave her the empowerment and courage she needed to companion others through their grief.

TAPS will present the 2018 Senator Ted Stevens Leadership Award to Ashlyn McCain at the annual TAPS Honor Guard Gala on March 6.

A unanimous vote at the U.S. Department of the Interior on February 8 bestowed the unnamed summit near Anchorage, Alaska as "Gold Star Peak."

TAPS seeks volunteers to serve as guest liaisons at the new National Headquarters located in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia.

Karndean DesignFlooring and its partners raised $3300 for TAPS at its 8th annual customer appreciation golf outing held on January 29.

Captain John Rhoten, U.S. Army, will be awarded the TAPS 2018 Military Mentor of the Year at annual TAPS Honor Guard Luncheon on March 6.

Over 75 site employees participated in the December luncheon and auction to benefit TAPS.

Your TAPS Family is here if you need to speak to someone with benefit concerns during the government shutdown.

TAPS offers 8 tips to help you be present for those who are grieving the death of a loved one this holiday season.

The new TRICARE changes, which are rolling out in 2018, may impact many eligible military survivors’ health insurance plans.

The greatest gift to Pete, a TAPS Military Mentor, is the children he gets to mentor as they grow and heal through TAPS.

As a charity partners of the NFL, TAPS benefits from the proceeds of auctions for official NFL items, Super Bowl Packages and signed and game-used items.

TAPS welcomed country music star Shane Owens to our West Coast program event in San Diego in early December.

TAPS was honored to participate in the Annual “Land of the Free Veterans Day Golf Classic” in City of Industry, California.

For the second year in a row, TAPS families in the Colorado Springs area were able to attend an evening of cheer and holiday spirit thanks to generous supporters.

TAPS hopes this partnership will allow us to advocate for surviving military families and raise awareness to reduce the number of victims of toxic exposure.

“Last Flag Flying” shows the audience that military brotherhood is forever, extending long past one’s service and even past death.

Layering real war footage with heartfelt interviews with soldiers and Gold Star family members, “No Greater Love” strives to promote healing.

Starting November 20, TAPS invites you to participate in the Amazon #SeasonOfSmiles social media campaign by sharing your best TAPS stories.

Get ready now for the Giving Tuesday November 28 match opportunity. Share your fundraisers and the official TAPS fundraiser link early and often!

Share why you support TAPS and why others should give to TAPS, too. Help TAPS win up to $10,000 this #GivingTuesday for families of the fallen.

A Gold Star Child's Dear Santa List: Macbook, guitar & Daddy. TAPS helps a surviving military family in Puerto Rico affected by the hurricane​s​.

TAPS is proud to work with partners to provide cutting edge support and care to our youngest survivors who are grieving the loss of a loved one in military service.

TAPS was recently presented a check by Jim Koons Automotive based on the number of three-pointers made by the Washington Wizards.

Since Memorial Day, traditional Country singer, Shane Owens has been donating 100% of the net proceeds from the tribute song “19" to TAPS.

The grief she felt over the death of her ex-husband was palpable, but others didn’t understand how she could be grieving. But it was there, and it was real.

Over 200 TAPS families and their heroes were honored during the Atlanta Falcons game on November 12 as part of the NFL’s Salute to Service.

Over 400 family members who lost loved ones during their service to the nation attended Salute to Service activities over the Veterans Day weekend.

TAPS is pleased to announce that it has been honored with a prestigious 2017 Top-Rated Award by GreatNonprofits.

Team TAPS runners honor the life and legacy of our fallen heroes running this weekend in the TCS New York City Marathon.

The annual CFC campaign makes it easy to Show Some Love to the causes they care about most. For many that cause is TAPS!

TAPS encourages each person to exercise judgment with regard to seeing this movie.

TAPS welcomed more than 600 family members grieving the death of a military loved one in Phoenix.

Over 300 runners trained for months to run the Marine Corps Marathon and 10K for Team TAPS on October 22.

Oshkosh Defense has generously supported TAPS programs and ​is a leading supporter of ​the TAPS Honor Guard Gala.

Lori Branch’s commitment to volunteerism runs about as deep as her Georgia roots.

For everyone who has endured nature's worst effects, your TAPS Family is here if you need to speak to someone for extra support and care.

TAPS Togethers, one-day events in communities across the country, bring surviving military families together in relaxed, casual settings.

Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in our TAPS family who is affected by the historic flooding in Texas as a result of Hurricane Harvey.

Authors Brook Noel and Pamela D. Blair, Ph.D., used their experiences to write a book that can resonate with anyone grieving the loss of a loved one.

Since Army Capt. Joe Quenga began volunteering with TAPS in May 2016, he has recorded nearly 130 hours during 11 events.

Dedicated and selfless TAPS volunteers spent a combined 17,142 hours over Memorial Day weekend, ensuring our families receive the healing support they need.

TAPS is welcoming our recent graduates to college with a free education care package.

Get involved in a Memorial Day event this year. Honor our fallen service members.

TAPS was born around a kitchen table, when families grieving a military tragedy came together to comfort each other knowing they weren’t alone.

Children who experience the loss of a parent or other family member through a military line-of-duty death are likely to face a number of unique issues.

In addition to TAPS Youth Programs events, there are a variety of events that are available to surviving military children throughout the year.

Staff Sergeant Daniel Davenport will be awarded the TAPS 2017 Military Mentor of the Year at annual TAPS Honor Guard Luncheon on April 12.

This course is designed to help volunteers support surviving loved ones, and provide volunteers with tips and tools to support veterans at their organization.

This course discusses the importance setting personal and professional boundaries when working with different groups.

Siblings Renee and Wally decided to attend a TAPS Peer Mentor training. They didn't realize the experience would forge a deeper sibling bond.

The gifts Simon and my other mentees give me cannot be replaced. My mentees help me go on and honor my grandson's legacy.

Women have defined so much of our world's history as leaders and pioneers. So, why wouldn't they help us define the way we grieve?

As of July 1, 2017, all recipients of the Fry Scholarship will be guaranteed in-state tuition at any public university in the country.

Nearly 200 TAPS families marched in the Inaugural Parade for the 45th President of the United States Donald Trump.

“Looking forward to future webinars like those that I have been able to attend to get some help in my journey.”

Volunteers supported almost every program within TAPS, from our Good Grief Camps to adult programming to Team TAPS races.

TAPS honored our heroes at baseball games in a dozen cities, hung out in the pits at NASCAR and watched horses soar over jumps.

TAPS Peer Mentors are dedicated to being a constant source of support to their mentees, showing patience and understanding in all situations.

TAPS can connect you to available support right in your community — especially at the holidays.

Benefits are available to attend the school of your dreams.

Sometimes Casework assistance comes in the form of a financial miracle and other times just a helpful nudge in the right direction when you need it most.

From Disney to Alaska, Team TAPS pounded out over 15,000 miles in 2016 to honor our fallen heroes and raise money and awareness for our TAPS families.

Survivors pushed themselves to new heights, hope and healing through hiking, swimming with whale sharks, snorkeling, dog sledding, horseback riding and more.

At TAPS, we want every child who has lost a fallen hero to know they don't have to grow up alone.

We can honor our heroes and share their stories while blazing a trail of our own.

TAPS heals hearts, brings hope and lets our families know they aren’t alone.

TAPS Online Community fosters special connections among survivors with real-time conversations, message boards and peer-based sharing groups.

When your family circle has been broken by death, holidays are a reminder of the empty spot at the table, the hole in your heart.

For Oshkosh Defense Army Ten-Miler runners, the weekend experience was about humbly and proudly wearing their hero’s photo on their Team TAPS jersey.

Have you ever wondered, “Where do I go from here?” I was there four years ago after my oldest son, Joshua, died by suicide.

Because the soulmate relationship is by definition built upon a particularly strong attachment, the grief that follows the tearing-apart of that relationship is particularly strong.

"I just started crying," Cindy said about learning about Team TAPS for the first time. "I was like 'this is what I need to do."

Volunteers could be found passing out goody bags, making sure kids were hydrated, leading craft activities, and helping campers off the zip line.

Proceeds from the Colorado Celebrity Classic events help sponsor vital TAPS programs, events and healing support for families.

This webinar is in support of National Suicide Prevention Month to raise awareness and the best information on prevention and reporting.

When survivors share stories and photos of sports memories with their loved one, teams4taps works to create opportunities with those teams.

We recognize in the past week many across our TAPS Family are feeling the fatigue of political debate and fighting. Our primary mission remains your comfort and care.

To the military and veterans communities, nothing is more sacred or honored than the families of those who are grieving the death of their fallen military hero.

This webinar is in support of National Suicide Prevention Month to raise awareness and the best information on prevention and reporting.

Each connection between a mentor and a mentee is unique. For Brittany Johnstone, her mentee relationships develop through texting, social media and email.  

Peer mentors are an important part of the TAPS family. We are grateful for the time they give helping other survivors heal.

Good Grief Campout activities create the perfect backdrop for rituals that honor and remember loved ones.

Since 2001, DynCorp International has lost 84 teammates while supporting our nation’s foreign policy objectives.

This guide can help you understand how grief affects children, and offers ways to help children through the grieving process.

Often, perfect is the enemy of good enough, especially when it comes to our own well-being. Our challenge to you is to start imperfectly right now.

TAPS new Health & Wellness Initiative, Inner Warrior, is a multi-dimensional program aimed at empowering survivors to reclaim feelings of wholeness and well-being.

New legislation now allows eligible special need surviving children and adults to have their Survivor Benefit Plan payment made to a Special Needs Trust.

There are many scholarships available for surviving family members that can help ease the financial burdens of education.

TAPS is expanding our mobile messaging capabilities with an exciting new program that allows us to text you important reminders.

This group of dedicated current and former military understands that when we call our fallen heroes by name and honor their memories they are with us.

Whether you need to dig into the holidays or to completely disconnect from them, there’s no place that grief takes you that your #tapsfam doesn’t understand.

Casey's interest to volunteer with TAPS was spurred by a speech delivered by Vice President Joe Biden during the TAPS National Military Survivor Seminar.

The teams4taps program celebrated its two-year anniversary in November setting in motion an exciting end-of-year schedule of team engagements.

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors Offers Tips for the Holidays.

In October, executives at Charlotte Motor Speedwaycreated an extraordinary opportunity for a TAPS family at the Bank of America 500 race.

Through the TAPS Military Mentor Program, TAPS connects grieving military children with individual military mentors.

USAA joined TAPS in honoring families of the fallen by hosting USAA's annual Bowlathon in San Antonio, Texas.

“If someone is on the phone with me and needs me for three hours, I will make myself available for three hours.”

In time, it is promised by those who have traveled this journey, there will be smiles again where tears were shed.

This Independence Day, America's Family wishes all of our fellow countrymen a happy and safe Fourth of July.

Participation in Blue Star Museums is one of our favorite ways to enjoy the summer season!

Her father's mantra was, “You can't just be good, you also have to do good.”

Recuerda el amor, Celebra la vida. Comparte el viaje. Remember the love. Celebrate the life. Share the journey.

It has been a cold winter here, but much to warm our hearts this past month as TAPS geared up for our 21st year of caring for the families of America’s fallen heroes.

The newly inaugurated Team TAPS will incorporate biking, walking, triathlons, swimming, tennis, and other competitive events.

Here are some coping strategies on how to deal with invitations, shared by members of the TAPS Online Community.

No matter where he is stationed, John remains committed to TAPS, ultimately adding to the success of the organization.

For children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or another significant person in their lives, the holiday season can be tough.

The TAPS Casework Department is proud to be available for our TAPS family members, supporting them on a wide variety of topics and issues.

Survivors who have been with TAPS since the early 2000s would probably recognize Shaun, as he's been a strong pillar of support through the years.

TAPS extends the loving atmosphere with special messages, publications, and online forums to inform, uplift, and sustain us as the journey continues.

For Pablo, the bond that he shares with his mentee and seeing smiles on the faces of survivors is what it's all about.

Thank you to First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden for sitting with TAPS children in the amphitheater yesterday at Arlington National Cemetery.

TAPS sends our thoughts to you and shares we are only a phone call away. Call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-959-TAPS (8277).

The TAPS peer mentoring model will be templated and utilized to create a new network to help military and veteran caregivers.

The Windy25 Memorial 5K is dedicated to the memory of the flight crew and passengers of the Windy25, an Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter that crashed.

The 2014 TAPS Honor Guard Gala was held Thursday, March 27th. It was a remarkable evening for TAPS as we celebrated our 20th Anniversary.

This year's Senator Ted Stevens Leadership Award at the TAPS Honor Guard Gala honoree was Nicki Bunting.

Oshkosh Defense has generously supported TAPS national programs for three consecutive years and has supported the TAPS Honor Guard Gala.

One of our goals at TAPS is to make every effort to ensure that surviving military dependents are not put in a position to pay for school out of pocket or through loans.

Deciding to go to a TAPS event can be difficult for the new survivor. We question how we will fit in, how we will be treated, and what the event will be like.

Nicki Bunting may be a busy single mom to two active little boys, but she also cares about helping others and wants to give back to the community.

Safe enough to cry, safe enough to laugh, safe enough to share dreams. Twenty years ago, one of those dreams became a reality with the creation of TAPS

TAPS extends our sincere condolences to the family of our mentor and friend Darcie Sims.

Washington Capitals hosted more than 120 children and adults assisted by TAPS for a skating party at Kettler Capitals Iceplex.

TAPS stands ready to assist the families of our fallen troops and welcomes anyone grieving the death of a service member, regardless of where they died or how they died.

Here are some honest observations from TAPS survivors about coping with the holidays.

On this day, over 200,000 wreaths will be placed on graves of fallen heroes across the country.

Volunteers and families of the fallen teach each other how to honor their loved ones, cope with their loss, and celebrate the lives of their loved ones.

Gold Star Children is a documentary feature film that takes an intimate look at American children who've lost a parent to war.

“Volunteering for TAPS is my way of saying thank you to the families and honoring the sacrifice their loved ones made serving our country,”

We are saddened by the loss of life and injuries in a shooting incident at the U.S. Navy Yard in Washington D.C. yesterday.

TAPS, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, offers the following tips to help the surviving families of our fallen.

TAPS is proud to announce that we are now a part of The President's Volunteer Service Award program.

Coming from all the branches of service, these special runners count it a privilege and an honor to remember their fallen.

Asked recently what advice they would give to a newly bereaved person, TAPS survivors responded with powerful and diverse answers.

Honor’s First for Freedom is my full name, but most everyone calls me Belle. I’m a Golden Retriever, born on January 27, 2005, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Children who attended the TAPS/USO Good Grief Camp Out in Southern California were greeted to a surprise visit by the Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden.

Don Lipstein, of West Chester, Pa., is featured today in a front-page New York Times story by Andrew Lehren and Jim Dao discussing suicide in the military.

TAPS brought together 60 special guests with CNN anchor and author Jake Tapper at a signing of Tapper’s book, The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor.

The Corporate Challenge program allows companies to pay tribute to the sacrifices made by our loved ones while creating awareness and raise funds.

Marissa admits that the most challenging thing about volunteering is “finding the time to do it, making the extra effort to make it a part of your schedule.”

One of the recurring themes of grief is the feeling of isolation, the sensation that we are alone in the world and that no one understands what we are going through.

This guide is meant to help military survivors take a deep breath and think through their financial options following their loved one's death.

“Knowing that this is an organization making a difference to so many every single day” is what keeps Charlene coming back

Each year since the crash, members of the unit have gathered to honor their battle buddies and memorialize the loss.

Rebecca Morrison is one of two widows TIME Magazine featured in its July cover story on the surge in Army suicides.

There is no right or wrong way to respond, but following are some ideas from TAPS survivors.

Widows Rebecca Morrison and Leslie McCaddon are blogging for TIME.com's Battleland blog about their experiences at TAPS National Military Suicide Survivor Seminar.

For many of us, sleep patterns are disrupted after the death of a loved one, whether the trouble is lack of sleep or too much sleep.

James Baird at the TAPS Good Grief Camp with a child over Memorial Day Weekend in 2007.

Casework Assistance team shares top picks for scholarships and educational resources.

Although she’s not a survivor of a military death, Roseanne Lehman is no stranger to loss and grieving.

TIME magazine’s cover story issued today asks why active-duty service members are dying by suicide and features the stories of two widows.

Timothy Swenson, age 13, of Humble, Texas, shares his story of coping with the death of his dad, to help other grieving military children.

Kris has proven to be a true leader and role model for all of us, children and adults alike.

What really goes on during a TAPS Good Grief Camp for older children who are grieving the death of a parent or sibling who died while serving their country?

This week, TAPS is excited to announce our partnership with Citi on the CredAbility ReConnect program.

“The Got Your 6 campaign is poised to create much needed awareness around military families."

“I love going to the sibling retreat. I like sharing stories with other siblings; I can connect with them. It helps me deal with my grief and it makes my life easier.”

Surviving widows go skydiving with the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights, an elite parachute jumping team based at Homestead.

“It didn’t matter what the task was. She just wanted to help, and I could tell it was an offer from the heart.”

“Running for TAPS was a tremendously rewarding experience for me. The chance to honor Captain Doug DiCenzo and his surviving family was an incredible privilege."

Read articles on Military Children & Families on the National Child Traumatic Stress Network website.

For the last two years George Kraehe has been running all over the place. In fact he has run 14 marathons in 14 states for the TAPS Run and Remember Team.

Any runner can participate with Team TAPS in any event in any location. We are proud to acknowledge two runners who supported TAPS in the prestigious Boston Marathon!

The Colorado Honor Corps, led by Lynne and Bo Cottrell, hit another homerun this year with the 5th annual TAPS Celebrity Classic raising more than $400,000 for TAPS!

Bereavement counseling is assistance and support to people with emotional and psychological stress after the death of a loved one.