Missing One
June 23, 2005
Robert Jason Gore was killed in April at the age of 23 by Iraqi insurgents who shot down the civilian helicopter he was aboard.
Gore was a sergeant with the Iowa National Guard’s 186th Military Police Company, but he was performing a six-month tour of duty as a private security contractor for Blackwater USA when he died.
For a name to be added to Gold Star Hall, it has to meet four measures.
Kathy Svec, program coordinator for the Memorial Union, said Gore meets all the criteria except one — he wasn’t on active status and involved in a military action when he died.
For inclusion in Gold Star Hall
1. Must be a current or former ISU student who was enrolled and attended class on a full-time basis.
2. Must have died during or as a direct result of government-sponsored military operation. The cause of death must be directly related to the military operation.
3. Must have served in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy, Marines or Merchant Marine in an active or active reserve capacity.
4. The military operation must have occurred during the official dates of a war or conflict as defined by the U.S. Department of Defense.
“Had this young man been on active duty, we would have just gone ahead or intended to place the name,” Svec said. “We can’t proceed considering a person because they didn’t meet the criteria.”
Svec said if his family or friends felt he should be memorialized in the Gold Star Hall they should present a proposal for consideration.
“If the individual doesn’t really fit the criteria matter, they can request an exception to the criteria,” she said. “If we got the request then a committee would be formed to go over the proposal.”
The committee would include representatives from the Alumni Association, the Office of the Registrar to verify enrollment status, the military science department, the Memorial Union and any interested veterans. Committees are usually comprised of five to six people.
“A committee is formed for each individual request, there isn’t a standing committee,” Svec said.
The most recent additions to the Gold Star Hall were put in two years ago, she said. The three names were added at the request of family and friends. The criteria for the Gold Star Hall was amended in early 2004 at the request of Jim Olberding, who served two-and-a-half years in Vietnam.
“He felt the criteria were too loose and included active service in military, but not a specific theater of operations,” Svec said.
Now, casualties must die in a war zone to be named.
Gore’s mother, Sue Selby-Gore, could not be reached for comment.
