Garbarino, Ryan Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Officially Recognize Veteran Suicide Awareness Flag
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY-02) and Congressman Pat Ryan (D-NY-18) introduced a House Resolution to officially recognize the Suicide Awareness and Remembrance (SAR) flag and designate the flag as the nation’s symbol to raise awareness of military and veteran suicide and honor the lives and service of those servicemembers and veterans who have died by suicide. Representatives Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11), Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24), Keith Self (R-TX-03), and Joe Morelle (D-NY-25) joined as original cosponsors of the Resolution.
"We must always remember that freedom is not free. Our service members put their lives on the line to keep America safe and often face difficulties when returning to civilian life, including physical and mental health challenges," said Rep. Garbarino. "The reality of veteran suicide is heartbreaking and unacceptable. This flag serves to recognize those who have died by suicide and as a reminder to those who are struggling that they are not alone. We need to stand by our veterans and members of the military and ensure that they have the support and quality care they deserve when they come home."
“I served alongside brave men and women who returned home from combat, but we still lost to the invisible wounds of war. Losing one veteran or servicemember to suicide is too many,” said Rep. Ryan. “Our country has a solemn and sacred obligation to care for our veterans and servicemembers, and, when they're gone, to honor their legacy and care for their families. An officially recognized Suicide Awareness and Remembrance flag will honor the memory of those we’ve lost and recommit us to fight to end the crisis of veteran and military suicide- and uphold our promises to those who serve our nation.”
“The Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Flag, or S-A-R Flag, is a multirole symbol created by a U.S. Veteran that stands to break the stigma of suicide, mental health, and seeking treatment for our nation’s warriors and defenders to facilitate suicide prevention. It was created to honor the service, forever remember the lives, and respect the families of those Veterans and Military who died by suicide to change our perception of suicide. The SAR Flag is also a tangible symbol of hope for our Veterans and Military and stands as a reminder that they are not alone and that stigma-free mental health help is available. This bill for Congress to adopt the SAR Flag is an unprecedented and vital step in our fight to end Military and Veteran suicide as it brings us all together for the most worthy of causes,” said Kevin Hertell, Founder & President of The Veterans Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Flag Corp.
The flag, primarily inspired by the POW flag, has a black background to represent mourning and a five-point gold star to represent the five branches of the military and a military member who has passed. The memorial wreath has 20 exposed leaves which represents the 20 veterans and active military who die by suicide every day. "Honor The Fallen" adorns the bottom of the flag to remind us that we can honor and forever remember these veterans and servicemembers by continuing to raise awareness and never forgetting their service to our country. The flag was created by U.S. Air Force veteran Kevin Hertell. Learn more about the meaning and symbolism behind the flag here.
“In 2021, suicide was the second-leading cause of death among veterans age 45 and younger, and on average, is the cause of 20 veteran deaths every day,” Rep. Malliotakis said. “I’m honored to join my colleagues in pushing for the SAR Flag to be formally designated as our nation’s symbol to raise awareness of military and veteran suicide and stand with them in honoring our veterans' service and continuing our work to resolve this issue.”
“I am honored to cosponsor Rep. Garbarino's resolution, officially acknowledging the Suicide Awareness and Remembrance (SAR) Flag as the national symbol for raising awareness about veteran suicide and honoring their families. The flag's black backdrop signifies mourning for individuals, while the gold and gold star symbolize fallen military members. Each point of the star represents one of the five branches of the military. As veterans bow their heads in a solemn gesture, facing left to pay homage to the POW flag, the SAR flag becomes a beacon of hope for veterans and their families nationwide,” said Rep. Self.
"Every year, thousands of veterans tragically die by suicide, making it imperative we raise awareness around this important issue and dismantle the barriers preventing our brave servicemembers from seeking help," said Rep. Tenney. "By designating the Suicide Awareness and Remembrance (SAR) flag as a national symbol of this crisis, we take a significant step towards eliminating the stigma associated with seeking help, bringing us closer to resolving military and veteran suicide."
“Today, I join my colleagues in raising awareness of military and veteran suicide with the designation of the SAR flag,” said Rep. Morelle. “We can stop the underutilization of prevention services by members of the military if we end the stigma associated with mental health treatment. The SAR flag will help achieve this goal by creating awareness and acceptance, while honoring the sacrifices of our servicemembers with a national symbol.”
SAR flag corp. is based in Huntington Station, NY. Its founder, Kevin Hertell, has been advocating for the official designation of this flag since the loss of his cousin to suicide. His efforts have gained traction in several state legislatures, including Nebraska, Arizona, and New York.
The full text of the Resolution can be found here.
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