Kevin W. Hertell - Founder / President / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - SAR Flag Creator

Kevin W. Hertell is from St. Louis, Missouri and comes from a military family where his uncle served in the Army during Desert Storm and his grandfather served in the Army, Army Air Corps, and the Air Force in World War II and the Korean War.

Kevin’s family history inspired him to join the Air Force where he served as a F-16 Crew Chief from 1999-2003. While in the Air Force, he assisted in the effort to protect and patrol the skies over the United States immediately after the attack on September 11, 2001.

In 2016 Kevin’s cousin, Senior Airman Robert Dean, USAF, died by suicide. After Robert’s passing, Kevin learned of the Veteran & Active Military suicide epidemic, and how on average, 22 Veterans & Service Members died by suicide each day.

Kevin then spent a year researching Veteran suicide, contemplating how he could make a difference with the goal to end Veteran & Active Military suicides.

Mr. Hertell felt that the stigma associated with mental health and suicide only facilitated its perpetuation.

He then decided our country needed a symbol to remove the stigma of suicide and mental health, a symbol to rally around, a symbol to honor and remember those Veterans & Active Military lost to the suicide epidemic. A symbol to respect, remember, and unite the families of the fallen and provide hope to living Veterans & Active Military by letting them know that they are not alone. A symbol to unite nonprofits and others, that are fighting the Veteran suicide epidemic. A symbol that will stand as our country’s intent to recognize and then resolve the Veteran & Active Military suicide epidemic. A symbol to continually raise awareness and to remember and honor those who died by suicide so we may never forget.

He then spent a year designing that symbol which became the Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Flag, or S-A-R Flag.

Kevin states, “By having a tangible symbol, we elevate this issue in the public consciousness, and we can talk about Veteran suicide, thereby taking away the stigma associated with it. And by normalizing an otherwise taboo subject of mental health among Veterans and Active Military, we will allow them to seek out the care they need without judgment. Suicide is preventable, and it’s up to us to do something about it.”

Kevin has devoted his life to reverse the Veteran & Active Military suicide epidemic, and he believes that process starts by removing the stigma associated with mental health and Veteran suicide.

Kevin’s immediate mission is to have the SAR Flag officially recognized by Congress, similar to the POW flag, and to fly the SAR Flag over the White House and the Capitol.

Mr. Hertell is also working with New York State as well as the Federal Government to annually recognize September 22nd as “Veterans Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Day.”

Kevin is also an active member of American Legion Post #336 as well as an Auxiliary member of VFW Post 1384.

He now lives and works in New York, is married and the proud father of two.

Fred Nielsen - Vice President / Treasurer / Director

Major Fred R. Nielsen, USMC retired in 1985, after 21 years of service. He served as a Mustang Major, serving in Administration, Airwing Support Utilities, and Logistics Fields in the United States Marine Corps.

From 1984 to 1986, he served in the Defense Logistics Agency, Alexandria, VA providing high level logistics resolution for weapons system manufacturing and parts requisition problems for all branches of the Military.

Concurrently, he established the Secretary of Defense – Homeless Veterans Support Initiative – developed to provide Homeless Shelters in major United States cities, aiding, in part, many homeless Veterans and with non-lethal government excess material and personal health & hygiene items. During the life of the Project, more than $1,000,000 in government excess material was applied in direct support to men and women in homeless shelters across the Nation.

He was the Commander of Combat Service Support Detachment 31 from 3rd Marine Division’s, 3rd Force Service Support Group.

Very rarely is a company grade logistics officer given a Command. Commanding a deployed unit of 86 Marines and Sailors was a remarkable experience.

He is a former Scout Master, Assistant Scout Master, Scout Mentor, Eagle Project Advisor, and Chartering Organization Representative.

Mr. Nielsen is also continually active in Veteran’s issues, including a member of American Legion Post #336, Americanism Chairman, Commandant, Dan Daly-Globe & Anchor Det. 225, Marine Corps League and founder of the Harlem Hellfighters Advisory Committee, and Vice President of The Veterans Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Flag Corp.

Mr. Nielsen has been inducted in to the New York State Hall of Fame.

He lives in Glen Cove, NY and is the proud father of five children and grandfather of nine.

Mr. Nielsen is a communicant of St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church where he has served as an usher, catechist, lector and business manager.

MANOLIN TIRADO - Secretary / COMPLIANCE OFFICER / INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS LIAISON / director

Sergeant Manolin “Manny” Tirado is a Veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve and New York National Guard who served between 1981 and 1989.

Sergeant Tirado’s primary MOS was 96 B, Military Intelligence Analyst.

Manny Tirado has over 35 years of public administration work experience with several New York State and New York City government agencies.

Mr. Tirado also taught for seventeen years as an adjunct lecturer in political science at both Brooklyn College, CUNY, and Metropolitan College of New York.

Currently, Manny is a Principal Transportation Planner for the MTA at New York City Transit.

Mr. Tirado is the Founder and Chairperson of the NYC Transit Veterans Resource Group (the official MTA employee affinity group for Veterans).

Since 2018, the Transit Veterans Resource group has helped promote Veterans benefits outreach, career development, and mental health awareness programs among its Veteran employees.

In partnership with the SAR Flag Corp.’s Founder/President Kevin W. Hertell, Mr. Tirado and the Transit Veterans Resource Group has been working with New York State as well as the Federal Government to annually recognize September 22nd as “Veterans Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Day.”

Mr. Tirado is also a member of the American Legion.

Manny was born and raised in New York City.

A proud product of the New York City public school system, he attended Columbia University and graduated with a B.A. in History-Sociology. Manny also attended Brooklyn College and graduated with an M.A. in Political Science.

Mr. Tirado currently resides in Greenwood Lake, Orange County, New York with his wife Christine Rickoff-Tirado.

Manny currently serves on the Greenwood Lake Planning Board.

Mr. Tirado enjoys spending his free time on the water and is an avid boater and swimmer.

JEN TERBAN-HERTELL - DIRECTOR

Jen Terban-Hertell was born and raised in New York City.

She was educated at one of the oldest independent schools in the U.S. and attended SUNY New Paltz, where she graduated with a degree in Metal Smithing.

Jen became a jewelry designer and worked as an intern at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan.

Both of Jen’s parents were educators, and she followed in their footsteps when she became head of the Art Department at a new experimental public school in New York City.

Mrs. Terban-Hertell left education to become a successful businesswoman. She now owns and operates the number one tattoo shop in New York City and the most popular skin care salon on Long Island, NY.

Jen is married to Kevin W. Hertell, the Founder of the Veterans SAR Flag Corp., and is the mother of two children.

In addition to her other responsibilities, Jen finds the time to tend to two rescue dogs, three rescue cats, and two rescue pigs.

Keith Jermyn - Regional Representative

Construction Electrician Senior Chief Petty Officer Keith A. Jermyn is a lifelong resident of Hingham, Massachusetts where he lives with his wife of thirty-five years, Lisa. They have three grown children: Nicolas (34), Kalli (29), and JT (22), an Ensign in the USN - along with two granddaughters: Arya(5) and Lydia (2).

Keith’s Naval career began in June 1985, just one day after graduating from Hingham High School, at Naval Training Center San Diego, CA.  His deployments include combat operations (Sharp Edge) in Africa and (Desert Shield / Storm) in the Persian Gulf aboard the Guided Missile Destroyer USS Coontz (DDG-40) and the Amphibious Tank Landing Ship USS Fairfax County (LST1193).    

Senior Chief Jermyn left Active Duty service in June 1991. Returning home to Hingham, he served an additional two years in a local reserve Seabee Detachment.  He was Honorably Discharged in February 1993 and began his civilian career as a licensed electrician with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local Union #103 of Greater Boston as Shop Steward.

Shortly after witnessing the horrors of 9/11, he re-affiliated with the United States Navy and was assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 27. There he was appointed to the elite Heavy Air Detachment, available for rapid deployment within 72 hours’ notice around the globe. During The War on Terrorism this unit was twice pressed into service, once in 2005 and again in 2008 for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In 2014 he deployed to the Horn of Africa in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to help quell piracy and insurgency, protecting U.S. interests in the region. Returning in 2015, he was reassigned to the 7th Naval Construction Regiment in Gulfport, MS as the Safety Officer.  In 2018 he began his final tour of duty at the Washington Navy Yard where he coordinated a Force of over 4,400 Seabees as Reserve Assignment Coordinator. On June, 18, 2022, he officially retired from naval service after serving 28 years.

Jermyn is now a Certified Veterans’ Service Officer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is responsible for delivering a vast array of local, state, and federal benefits within his district. He is a staunch advocate for our military, veterans, and both Blue and Gold Star Families, working diligently to enact meaningful and beneficial legislation at every level of government.

As a 100% service-connected disabled veteran, Keith is no stranger to disabilities both seen, and unseen.  Eighteen months ago, he was paired with an ADI accredited service dog named Mario. This beautiful three-year-old Pointer-Hound mix was trained for Keith by the nation’s largest provider of Service Dogs for veterans called K9’s For Warriors. Determined to end veteran suicide, they provide highly trained service dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD, TBI, or MST. With the majority of dogs coming from high-kill shelters, this innovative program allows the K9 / Warrior Team to build an unwavering bond that facilitates their collective healing and recovery, thereby saving two lives!

Jermyn’s career in the Navy has taken him around the world several times, but he remains a true “son of Hingham.” His devotion to duty is fed by the Latin motto Pro Deo et Patria (For God and Country) and when asked, he unequivocally states, “There’s no place like home!”

Eric D’Arce - Organization / Coalition Liaison

Eric D’Arce was born and raised in New York and was adopted at the age of six after spending multiple years in the foster care system. His mother and father not only adopted all of his siblings, but others as well. Fortunately, Eric’s father is a retired corrections officer and Grandmaster in the Korean art of Taekwondo. This is where Eric started his martial arts journey training, and he competed for 25+ years. After earning his 1st Degree Kukkiwon (Blackbelt Certification) and graduating high school, Eric immediately enlisted into the United States Marine Corps in 2007.

Eric D’Arce remained on active duty as a ground mobile forces communications operator specializing in satellite, radio, transmissions, and data communications. In 2009, Eric deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom & Operation Enduring Freedom. While deployed, Eric’s first child was born stateside, and he returned home to greet her for the first time at the age of 3 months. For his efforts and expertise while deployed, Eric received the non-commissioned officer rank of Corporal in Iraq, and upon returning stateside he was acknowledged alongside his unit with a Meritorious Unit Commendation & the Lieutenant Colonel Shea Memorial Unit of the Year. In Eric’s last year on active duty, he served as the Crypto NCO, Safety & Hazmat NCO as well as the PT/BCP training NCO.

Eric D’Arce served in the reserve component for a half-year prior to being Honorably Discharged in 2015. During this time, he studied criminal justice at Suffolk County Community College and received his degree of associate in science in 2014 while also competing in mixed martial arts. Eric decided to take his struggles and experience to advocate for veterans, and in 2022, he returned to school to finish his bachelor’s degree with a focus on organizational management and business administration. In his short time as a student, he was elected President of the SVA (Student Veterans of America) organization at St. Joseph’s University as well as VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 2913 Jr. Vice Commander, VFW District 11 Legislative and VFW State Representative for the VFW-SVA coalition. During this time, he was recognized with the Schwarzkopf Award for military excellence and the SVA chapter being recognized under his leadership with the Innovation Award. Eric is also a member of the American Legion, SALUTE National Honor Society and Marine Corps League as well as being classified as a service-connected combat disabled veteran.

Eric D’Arce recently utilized the VA home loan and purchased his first home in Eastern Suffolk County for his beautiful family which includes his fiancée Jeslie, and three children: Jada, Micah and Leilani. Eric looks to take his expertise in networking and communications to provide legislation and resources of what veterans need to continue to be positive, contributing citizens to the U.S. and its economy. As the SAR Flag Family Organization and Coalition Liaison, Eric will provide a way to connect organizations with similar visions to join together with a defined mission and goals to help our servicemembers and veterans as well as to end veteran suicide.

AUSTIN HERTELL - DIRECTOR / ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION LIAISON

Austin F. Hertell was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. 

He comes from a military family, with both grandparents, an uncle, and several cousins having served or currently serving. 

Austin received a Bachelor’s Degree from Saint Louis University and then completed a Master’s degree at ESADE Business School in Barcelona, Spain.

Austin lives in California and currently works as a Program Manager on the Accessibility Engineering Team at Google. The Accessibility Engineering Team is focused on creating hardware and software to improve the lives of people with disabilities around the world. 

Austin is passionate about leveraging technology to elevate and empower historically underserved groups, helping everyone to lead fuller, more connected, and more productive lives. 

Austin’s past volunteering experience includes serving on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the San Francisco Bay Area.