Red Star Foundation
Serves: Nationwide, FL, SOUTHEAST
Founded 2018 by Deb and Russell Muniz, survivors of military suicide loss, to advocate for recognition of families who lose a service member or veteran to suicide — the missing equivalent of the Gold Star designation, which applies only to combat deaths. Currently focused on awareness, advocacy, and recognition. The organization describes peer-support and bereavement services as planned, but as of this listing that capability is not confirmed operational. Families needing immediate suicide-loss bereavement support should contact TAPS, which provides fully operational 24/7 survivor care.
Origin & mission
The Red Star Foundation was created to address a real gap in recognition: there is a Gold Star designation for families of those killed in combat, but no equivalent designation for families who lose a service member or veteran to suicide. Founders Deb and Russell Muniz, themselves survivors of military suicide loss, established Red Star to advocate for that recognition and to build toward a community for these families. As of this listing, the foundation is focused on awareness, advocacy, and recognition; a peer-support and bereavement-services capability is described by the organization as planned but is not confirmed operational. Families needing immediate suicide-loss bereavement support should contact TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors), which provides fully operational 24/7 survivor care.
Impact & scale
- Advocacy and recognition for families of service-connected suicide loss
- 501(c)(3), Florida-based
- Peer-support and bereavement services described as planned, not yet confirmed operational
- For immediate survivor support, see TAPS (taps.org)
Who they serve
Practical detail
- Cost
- free
- How to access
- open
- Who they serve
- families, gold star
Accountability
- Last checked
- August 2026 When a person at the Foundation last confirmed these details.