Bill Text: NJ S4281 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Designates "Suicide Awareness & Remembrance flag" as official State flag.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-12-16 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee [S4281 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-S4281-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator DECLAN J. O'SCANLON, JR.
District 13 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Designates "Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Flag" as official State flag.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act designating the "Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Flag" as an official State flag and supplementing chapter 3 of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Whereas, For more than 200 years of our nation's history, brave men and women have fought for this country through their service in the Armed Forces of the United States; and
Whereas, This State strives to support its many resident service members and provide veterans with the assistance needed after their discharge from the Armed Forces; and
Whereas, Many veterans and active military members suffer from post-traumatic stress (PTS) and depression, and when left untreated, can lead to suicide attempts; and
Whereas, Between 2001 and 2019, the rate of suicide among veterans and active military members increased by 36 percent, totaling more than 100,000 veterans and active military members lost to suicide in the same time period; and
Whereas, The "Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Flag" or SAR Flag (spoken as S-A-R) will honor and forever remember all veterans and active military members lost to suicide and raise our continued awareness of veteran suicide and suicide prevention programs; and
Whereas, The SAR Flag was designed by United States Air Force Veteran Kevin W. Hertell, after his cousin, Senior Airman Robert Dean, USAF, was lost to suicide in 2016; and
Whereas, The SAR Flag contains several symbolic elements, consisting of an individual's silhouette facing left to pay homage to the Prisoner of War flag (the primary inspiration in the creation of the SAR Flag) enclosed in a black circle which represents the unity of the military in mourning, the gold star that has been emblematic of a lost military member for over 100 years, a laurel wreath with 20 exposed leaves to represent the 20 veterans and active military members who die by suicide each day, the initials "SAR" at the top of the star, and the phrase "Honor the fallen" beneath the star; and
Whereas, It is altogether fitting and proper that the State of New Jersey adopt the SAR Flag as an official State flag to honor and forever remember all members and veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States who have been lost to suicide; now, therefore,
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The "Suicide Awareness & Remembrance (S-A-R) Flag" is designated an official State flag to honor and remember veterans and members of the Armed Forces of the United States who have been lost to suicide. The SAR Flag shall be a black flag that depicts the silhouette of an individual within a gold star along with a laurel wreath. The initials "SAR" shall be written at the top of the flag and the phrase "Honor the fallen" shall be located beneath the star.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill designates the "Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Flag" or SAR Flag as an official State flag for recognizing all veterans and members of the United States Armed Forces who have been lost to suicide.
Veteran and active military member suicide has affected many Americans. From 2001 to 2019, suicide rates among veterans and active military members increased by 36 percent, resulting in the deaths of over 100,000 veterans and active military members.
The SAR Flag was designed by United States Air Force Veteran Kevin W. Hertell to raise our continued awareness of veteran and active military member suicide and suicide prevention programs, to honor and forever remember those lost to suicide, as well as to honor, respect and unite their families. The flag contains several symbolic elements to honor all veterans and active military members lost to suicide.
The SAR Flag also stands as a tangible symbol of hope to living veterans and active military to let them know that they are not alone, and to remove the stigma of seeking mental health treatment by changing the perception of mental health within their warrior culture.
