Contributions for 2023

Surviving mom gives tips and lessons learned to start a wildflower garden as a living tribute to a loved one like she has done for her son Sergeant Donaldson.

For all of us in the TAPS family, every day is our Memorial Day. As military survivors we are our loved ones living legacies.

Memorial Day is for all Americans to remember we enjoy our many freedoms because of a brave few who dedicated their lives to this country.

Event Photos: TAPS surviving parents connect with other surviving parents, create lifelong friendships and honor their children in Emigrant, Montana.

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

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

TAPS coordinated to bring Chris and Connor to the game to honor their dads, who were both killed in action in Afghanistan.

A field becomes a sea of poppies, daisies, and bachelor buttons each June as a living tribute to Sergeant Mateo Donaldson from his surviving parents.

Event Photos: TAPS Young Adults promote care, peer connection and personal well-being in Orlando, Florida.

This Memorial Day, and every day, your TAPS family is here for you. We are beside you as you grieve and we stand with you as you honor your hero.

Video recording on how nature helps us regulate our central nervous system to cope with grief and loss, trauma, chronic stress, and difficult emotions.

Elevate your ability to be a peer supporter in grief, and find the words to express to your support system what you need as you grieve.

Event Photos: The TAPS Family is participating along the five National Relay Routes and Rally Cities and at nearly 30 TAPS Togethers events.

Event Photos: Survivors participate in the Washington Commanders Draft Party in Washington, D.C.

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

Event Photos: The surviving family of MSG Deghand at the 3rd round NFL draft pick for the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City.

Video recording of how the long arc of loss can be woven into our lives in ways that are practical, creative, comforting, and, finally, hopeful.

Trauma expert and Vietnam Veteran, Dr. Charles Figley, shares his views on overcoming primary and secondary trauma.

Event Photos: Survivors share time in the great outdoors with fellow survivors fly fishing in Marietta, Georgia.

TAPS is the leading national organization providing compassionate care and survivor support services for the families of America's fallen military heroes.

Event Photos: Young Adult Survivors connect with peers to focus on well-being and personal development in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Video recording of ways to advocate for yourself in the workplace after a brief absence, a long absence, or for the first time following a loss.

Event Photos: TAPS surviving families learn to grieve as a family with new tools for the path ahead in Bolivar, Tennessee.

Event Photos: TAPS fundraiser at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas to honor the legacy of our courageous heroes and in tribute to the Windy25 flight.

TAPS offers 10 creative ways to fight feelings of loneliness, seek out the connections that inspire us, that make us better.

How do we access joy, pleasure, relaxation, and their sister emotions while carrying pain and grief of losing someone we loved so deeply?

Event Photos: TAPS Families attend the 2023 White House Easter Egg Roll in Washington, D.C. on April 10, 2023.

Hundreds of studies conducted around the world revealed spending time in nature has significant benefits to physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

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.

Parting with loved ones’ belongings and family heirlooms is hard. They are more than just things, but precious memories made and new ones we’ll never realize.

As we acknowledge Volunteer Appreciation Month in April, we are so grateful to each of you who give back to the survivor community.

Event Photos: Survivors come together both in-person and virtually in fellowship in Denver, Colorado.

Event Photos: Survivors attend NBA Trainer Experience events with teams4taps.

Event Photos: Survivors attend Washington Nationals Salute to Service Opening Day on March 30 in Washington, D.C. with teams4taps.

Video recording of what the current thinking about grief reveals, helping you better understand and cope with your grief journey.

Volume 29, Issue 1

Event Photos: TAPS supporters join together in supporting the families of our fallen military members.

Event Photos: Representative Dean Phillips was selected for the 2023 Ted Stevens Leadership Award for his commitment to surviving military families.

12th Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Christopher Grady, U.S. Navy, speaks at the 2023 TAPS Honor Guard Gala on March 22, 2023.

TAPS President and Founder, Bonnie Carroll, speaks at the 2023 TAPS Honor Guard Gala on March 22, 2023.

At the Gala, we remember the love of our fallen heroes, celebrate their lives and share the stories of the journey we have with our TAPS family.

When her son returned from Iraq, Alice thought all was well. Later, her son was diagnosed with cancer linked to toxic exposure from burn pits in Iraq.

This year's recipient, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Carl Gilbert, U.S. Army, was honored for his outstanding support for the children of America's fallen heroes.

This year's recipient, Representative Dean Phillips (MN-3), was honored for his legislative efforts on behalf of survivors on Capitol Hill.

The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors is the national organization for all those grieving the death of a military or veteran loved one.

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.

Whenever and wherever a military member or veteran is lost, TAPS stands ready to provide compassion and critical resources to their grieving survivors.

Event Photos: TAPS surviving women create a plan for healing and growth in Savannah, Georgia.

Listen to TAPS Statement for the Record on March 8, 2023 before the Committees On Veterans' Affairs United States Senate and House of Representatives.

This month we honor and lift up surviving women who lean bravely into their grief, share their personal grief journey, and make the world a better place.

Event Photos: TAPS Survivors move beyond your comfort zone with the support of others who understand in Anchorage, Alaska.

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

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.

Event Photos: The Minnesota Timberwolves welcome the surviving family of US Army Veteran Ryan Schmidt and teams4taps for a pre-game tour.

Event Photos: TAPS fundraiser held in Jupiter, Florida by hosts Tom and Sharon Chisholm

Video recording discussion on ways to help children and teens continue the bonds they have with their loved ones as they get older.

Event Photos: Survivors attend the NBA All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah with teams4taps.

Event Photos: Survivors attend NBA Referee Engagement events with teams4taps.

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.

Event Photos: Survivors attend Super Bowl Week events with teams4taps in Glendale, Arizona.

Event Photos: TAPS surviving women create a plan for healing and growth in Sedona, Arizona.

Children grieving the loss of a military loved one at the Southeast Regional Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp share what brings them hope.

Event Photos: Survivors attend the Nevada Survivor Experience presented by the NFL in partnership with TAPS Sports and Entertainment.

Event Photos: Survivors come together both in-person and virtually in fellowship in Destin, Florida.

The TAPS Family is built on love. It is our foundation, our inspiration, our strength. In this month where we have a day that is devoted to love, let us reflect on love.

As we approach this Valentine’s Day, let's reflect on the love in our hearts, both for those here and those lost.

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

On February 1, 2023, the Widow's Tax is completely eliminated, and future generations of surviving spouses will receive their full survivor benefits.

Event Photos: Survivors attend the Capitals Fore Charity event at Top Golf National Harbor.

The TAPS Research Team is currently working on a mixed-method study examining how mentoring others creates a lasting impact on one's own life.

Video recording of interactive discussion and hands-on activity to help support you on your grief journey (no art experience or special supplies needed).

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

In the beginning of the year and when it ends, TAPS is your family where our loved ones are remembered, and where we come for hope and healing.

Here are 5 tips for taking extra time for self-care and prioritizing your mental health as you recover from loss.

In honor of National Mentoring Month, several of our mentors have shared their mentoring story.

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?