LANCASTER, Pa. - While the war on terror is different from previous conflicts in many ways, military families continue to turn to a traditional way of showing support for their loved ones serving overseas: blue stars.

Marilyn Walker, of Landisville, whose son is stationed in Iraq with the Army, says she's been saluted by veterans who noticed her blue star pin. Karen Clevenstine, of Quarryville, says she finds the symbols are a comfort.

"I guess when you're in this situation, you do all kinds of things that you feel like you have to do because of support," Clevenstine said.

Family members frequently display the stars through lapel pins, window flags and car decals.

When Nancy Berdiner, of Landisville, who has a son in the Army, found out that Jim and Sue Albright's son, Jared, was being deployed to Baghdad, she took a Blue Star flag to them. The Albrights put it in the front window of their Mountville home.

Sue Albright, who said she didn't know about the significance of the Blue Star until Berdiner told her, said she now pays attention when she sees one. "To me, every time I see one somewhere, it's one more service person who's out of the country that we can pray for," she said.