Long Islanders Plant 700 Flags to Mark Veteran Suicide Toll

More than 100 people gathered in Ronkonkoma on Tuesday to place more than 700 American flags on the lawn of the Association for Mental Health and Wellness. The group of Long Islanders included veterans and their families. They organized the flags in clusters of 17. Each cluster represents one of the 17 veterans who die by suicide in the United States on a daily basis.

The event, titled Flags for Heroes: A Veterans Day Call for Hope and Healing, took place just before the Veterans Day holiday. The Association for Mental Health and Wellness partnered with the Philanthropy Network of NY for the ceremony. The gathering aimed to honor those who have died, raise awareness of mental health challenges, and promote peer support among veterans.

Bridget Mantello, the director of development, outreach, and veterans affairs for the Association for Mental Health and Wellness, framed the flags as conversation starters. She said each flag offers a chance to ask a veteran how they are doing. Mantello expressed a goal of seeing fewer flags for sad reasons and more for happy reasons in the future.

Kevin W. Hertell, a U.S. Air Force veteran and the founder of the Suicide Awareness & Remembrance Flag, participated in the planting. He created the flag after his cousin, Senior Airman Robert Dean, died by suicide in 2016. Hertell said stigma has kept the issue in the dark for too long. He argued that talking about the problem helps people understand that it is okay not to be okay and that they are not alone. The true number of veterans lost to suicide may be higher than the reported figures when active-duty members, reservists, and National Guard personnel are included.

James Carney, a U.S. Navy veteran and senior peer mentor at the Association for Mental Health and Wellness, also took part. Carney works with veterans through the Joseph P. Dwyer Veterans Peer Support Project. This program provides confidential support for those dealing with PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and other service-related challenges. It was established in Suffolk County in 2012 in memory of Joseph P. Dwyer, an Army combat medic from Mount Sinai who died at age 31 after serving in Iraq.

The Association for Mental Health and Wellness is a Suffolk County nonprofit. It provides mental health education, advocacy, and support services. Through its Suffolk County United Veterans program, the organization offers housing assistance, crisis prevention, and peer support resources to veterans and their families. The Dwyer Project continues to connect veterans with peers who understand their experiences, offering individual and group support for reintegration into civilian life.