Blue Star Banner Program in McHenry County

The Blue Star Banner Program is all about remembering our local men and women who are currently serving in the military. Many may be familiar with the Blue Star Program, but they may not know the history of the “Blue Star” symbol. The “Blue Star” symbol began around 400 BC when Alexander the Great made use of it as a sign of great heroism. The Blue Star Program dates back to a tradition that began in World War I and carried on through World War II. The Blue Star Banner first appeared in 1917 and quickly became the unofficial symbol of a child serving in the military.  A Blue Star Banner hung in the window of a home with a family member serving in the military became a very popular use during World War II, when nearly every U.S. home or organization displayed the banner to honor those who served. Each blue star on the banner indicates a family member in military service.

The qualified recipient (authorized family member) will be invited to attend a special presentation during a Township Board Meeting where they will be presented with the Blue Star Banner and a special Resolution in their honor.  The presentations take place three times a year. In March, July and November.

The presentations are made by McHenry Township and Beta Omicron Master a McHenry sorority (formally Beta Sigma Phi, McHenry Chapter Zeta Theta). In addition to the sorority contributing the banners, they have also hung a Blue Star Banner Plaque in the entry foyer of the Township Office building with a brass plate inscribed with the name of each soldier.  It commemorates the service to our country of each honoree and that their family has received a Blue Star Banner. Beta Omicron Master is a non-collegiate service sorority.

Authorized family members include the wife, husband, mother, father, stepmother or stepfather, parent through adoption, foster parents who stand or stood loco parentis, children through adoption, brother, sister and half-brother or half-sister of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States.

To be eligible to receive a Blue Star Banner, the serviceman or servicewoman does not have to be forward deployed. The qualified family member must currently reside in McHenry Township.

If you are currently a member of a military family residing in McHenry Township, please click on the link below to apply for a Blue Star Banner.

Download this form     Blue Star Banner Program Forms.

E-mail the completed form to  [email protected] or fax it to 815-385-5671. You can also mail the completed form to:

Blue Star Banner Program
McHenry Township
3703 N Richmond Road
Johnsburg, IL 60051