Our Story
The Moon Landing & The Memory That Was Lost
July 20, 1969
My grandparents Dick and Maureen gathered around their television set—along with 600 million people worldwide—to watch Commander Neil Armstrong take humanity's first steps on the Moon.
Throughout my childhood, my grandfather Dick spoke most proudly about that night. Not just the accomplishment itself, but the audacity of it. Small-town Americans—humble men and women from places like where my grandparents grew up—had built technology sophisticated enough to send three astronauts 240,000 miles through space and bring them home safely.
My grandfathers knew what that kind of precision meant.
Dick Hann had enlisted in the U.S. Army in Hagerstown in 1942, at the age of 17. He spent World War II diffusing land mines across Europe—work where a single mistake meant death. Work that required absolute focus, steady hands, and infinite patience.
Robert Scott Miner, my Pappy, spent his career in the Air Force overseeing the entire Airplane Support and Maintenance division at the 167th Airlift Wing in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Every plane that took off, every crew that flew—their lives depended on the systems he maintained.
These weren't men who talked about excellence. They lived it.
They understood what NASA understood: When lives depend on your work, you don't cut corners. You don't rush. You get it right.
Apollo Guidance Computer
64 KB
0.043 MHz processing
Your Smartphone
128+ GB
Modern processing power
100,000×
The smartphone in your pocket has 100,000 times more computing power than the technology that landed Neil Armstrong on the Moon.
In Maureen's final year, I asked her if she remembered watching the Moon Landing.
She didn't.
A memory she had recalled with such joy throughout my life—gone. Alzheimer's had taken it from her before she died on July 16, 2025.
My grandmother Joyce lives in memory care today. The woman who taught me patience, who made me feel unconditionally loved, who showed me what dignity looks like—she's losing her memories too.
And at the beginning of her dementia journey, Joyce was scammed out of over $3,000.
That feeling—learning someone had exploited Joyce—was one of the most intense angers I've ever known. Perhaps because I felt helpless. Perhaps because I was angry at myself for not protecting her before it happened.
The way my grandfathers would have protected her.
The Foundation
A Legacy of Service: The Seven Pillars
Sentinel Silver was not built in a boardroom.
It was born in the living rooms and streets of Hagerstown, Maryland, on the dairy farms of Washington County, and on the flight lines of the Air National Guard.
It was born from a grandson's promise to honor the seven individuals who defined his life.
I founded Sentinel Silver because I watched the people I loved most—members of the "Greatest Generation" and the baby boomers who supported them—navigate a digital world that was rapidly leaving them behind.
It wasn't just about "using a computer." It was always about their dignity, their safety, and their connection to family and friends.
I built Sentinel Silver on the specific values they taught me.
Chief Master Sergeant Robert Scott "Scotty" Miner
July 17, 1937 – November 28, 2009
Pillar 1: Military Precision
My late grandfather, Robert Scott "Scotty" Miner, lived by a code of absolute excellence. He was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, in the summer of 1937.
As a Chief Master Sergeant at the 167th Airlift Wing in Martinsburg, West Virginia, he ran flight line operations where a single mistake could cost the lives of hundreds of brave Airmen. Scotty Miner invariably demanded perfection, precision, and technical correctness in every aspect of his life.
He was my Pappy.
He sang in the choir at Broadfording Bible Brethren Church. Every Christmas, he stood at the top during the Christmas tree singalong, his voice carrying through the sanctuary. He was a golfer. A hunter who loved Green Ridge State Forest. A barbershop quartet singer.
He could fix anything. And he did—with the same precision he brought to keeping aircraft flying safely.
He was a wonderfully decent man who died far too young at 72—a massive heart attack while hunting in one of his favorite places on earth.
The Sentinel Legacy: Security & Precision Architecture
From Scotty, Sentinel Silver inherits our Security & Precision Architecture. We don't "guess" at safety protocols. We apply Scotty Miner's military-grade discipline to your digital life. We utilize military-like checklists; we verify every protocol; and we ensure your protection is precise because, in the digital age, your safety is at stake.
Maureen Yvonne Hann
August 23, 1932 – July 16, 2025
Pillar 2: Unshakable Integrity
My late grandmother, Maureen Y. Hann, was a force of nature. She was born in the West End of Hagerstown, Maryland, in the summer of 1932.
She ranked at the top of her class at Hagerstown High School (Class of 1950); she went on to lend her brilliant mind to build one of Hagerstown's best-ever roofing companies.
She was the brilliant financial comptroller, operator, businesswoman, and the family's "in-house psychologist." She believed in women and advocated for them. She always did things "by the book." And she had an unshakeable command of her emotions.
Even as my grandmother Maureen journeyed through Alzheimer's for fifteen years, our family's mission was to preserve her dignity.
She and my late grandfather, Carroll Richard "Dick" Hann, were married for 69 years. Our family laid my grandmother to rest on July 23, 2025, on what would have been her late husband's 100th birthday.
The Sentinel Legacy: Unwavering Transparency
From Maureen, Sentinel Silver inherits our Unwavering Transparency. In the rapidly growing AgeTech industry, sometimes known for hidden fees and confusing jargon, Sentinel Silver operates in a "Glass Box." We show you the screen. We explain all costs in precise detail. We fight for your cognitive independence with the same ferocity Maureen demonstrated every single day of her life.
Carroll Richard "Dick" Hann
July 23, 1925 – December 22, 2020
Pillar 3: Heart & Soul
My grandfather, "Pap," was a WWII U.S. Army veteran who risked his life overseas diffusing enemy land mines.
Carroll Richard "Dick" Hann was born at home in the West End of Hagerstown during the summer of 1925. Born in 1925. Enlisted at 17. Spent the war diffusing land mines in Europe—work where every decision was life or death, where patience wasn't a virtue but a survival skill.
Came home and spent 35+ years as an engineer at Hagerstown's Municipal Electric Light Plant. Keeping the city's lights on. Every single day. Without fanfare.
He was an Alsatia Club member. An Elk. A bowler. A gardener who spent hours tending vegetables in the backyard of their Glenside Avenue home—the house they bought in 1955 for $12,500 and lived in for nearly 70 years.
He taught me how to play baseball. He taught me how to ride my bike.
Some of my most sacred memories were sitting next to my "Pap" in his living room on Glenside Avenue, just making sure that Pap's CD player worked right so that he could listen to Dean Martin and Eddie Arnold.
Anybody and everybody who knew Dick Hann would likely describe him as the kindest, nicest, most humble, beautiful person they have ever met.
The Sentinel Legacy: Infinite Patience
From Pap, Sentinel Silver inherits our Infinite Patience. Sentinel Silver's Personal Technology Guides will never stand over you; we sit beside you. We move at your pace. We treat every visit as a sacred opportunity to connect—a mutual exchange of wisdom.
Joyce Darlene Miner
Born May 9, 1941
Pillar 4: Spirit & Work Ethic
My sole living grandparent, my grandmother Joyce D. Miner, was born in Washington County, Maryland, into a family of twelve children, part of a generation of American dairy farmers.
My grandmother Joyce has brought that indefatigable "workhorse" spirit to everything she has ever done, becoming one of the most beloved and hardest-working cafeteria service employees in Washington County Public Schools' history.
Joyce's superpower is her candor, straightforwardness, the ability not to mince words, to speak with frankness but always with sincerity. But make no mistake, Joyce Miner's sense of humor and happy demeanor are her legacy.
The woman who taught me patience, who made me feel unconditionally loved, who showed me what dignity looks like—she lives in memory care today. She's losing her memories.
And at the beginning of her dementia journey, Joyce was scammed out of over $3,000.
The Sentinel Legacy: Absolute Simplicity
From Joyce, Sentinel Silver inherits our Absolute Simplicity. We strip away the complexity of "tech speak." We deliver help with the warmth, sincerity, and hard work that she brought to every child she served.
The Bridge
The Woman Who Showed Me How to Fight
But between my grandfathers' legacy and my mission—there's my mother.
Colleen Michelle Bowers
Ryan's Mother
Pillar 5: The Advocate
Colleen Bowers spent fifteen years as the fierce advocate and caregiver for Dick, Maureen, Robert, and Joyce.
This wasn't passive caregiving. This was warfare.
She fought systems that tried to dismiss them. She challenged policies that prioritized efficiency over dignity. She advocated relentlessly, fearlessly—regardless of time, cost, or inconvenience.
Because "what's right is right."
My mother's ethics are inflexible and unwavering. That's the integrity she learned from my grandparents—and what she's teaching me now.
Advocacy is a matter of honor in our family. And we never relax our standards, especially when the going gets tough. We care because it's an honor. It's an obligation. It's a sacred duty.
The Sentinel Legacy: Advocacy Mandate
From Colleen, Sentinel Silver naturally inherits our Advocacy Mandate. We aren't just an academic think tank and personal technology guides; we are advocates for older adults and their families. If a vendor tries to rip you off or a scammer tries to trick you, we stand in the gap, we fight for you, and we do our best to make things right, just like my mom did for my late grandparents.
What Colleen Taught Me Through Fifteen Years of Watching Her
Walk Alongside, Never Lead
She never treated her parents as children needing supervision. She walked alongside them—supporting, protecting, advocating—while respecting their autonomy and wisdom.
That became Sentinel Silver's Reciprocal Dignity Framework.
Fearless Protection
When systems failed them, she fought. Not with anger alone, but with documentation, persistence, and moral clarity.
That became my commitment to ferocious elder protection.
"What's Right Is Right"
No compromise. No shortcuts. No acceptance of "good enough" when serving vulnerable adults.
That became Sentinel Silver's ethical core: immovable standards in an industry that often prioritizes convenience over dignity.
It Costs Something—And You Pay It Anyway
Fifteen years. Thousands of hours. Emotional exhaustion. Financial burden. Personal sacrifice. She paid it all. Because they were worth it.
That became my understanding: Building something worthy of them won't be easy or fast or cheap. And that's okay.
The Foundation
The Men Who Built the Base
Bryan Miner
Ryan's Father
Pillar 6: Reliability
My father, Bryan Miner, taught me that trust is built on reliability. He taught me the value of showing up when you say you will, of respecting a person's home, and of delivering on your word without excuse or delay.
In a world full of empty promises and excuses, my father demonstrated through his actions—not his words—that a man's reliability is his reputation. When he said he would be somewhere, he was there. When he committed to something, it was done.
That consistency, that dependability, that unwavering reliability—it wasn't remarkable to him. It was simply how things should be done.
The Sentinel Legacy: Operational Reliability
From Bryan, Sentinel Silver inherits our Operational Reliability. We are punctual. We are respectful. We bring a "No-Nonsense" guarantee to every appointment. When we say we will be there at 10:00 AM, we are there at 10:00 AM. When we commit to solving a problem, we solve it. Your trust in us is earned through consistent, reliable action—not marketing promises.
E. Leon Bowers
Ryan's Stepfather
Pillar 7: Strategy
My stepfather, Leon Bowers, provided the strategic guidance and strength that allowed this mission to take root. He taught me the importance of building systems that are robust, defensible, and built to last.
Leon approaches challenges with the mind of an architect and the patience of a chess player. He doesn't build for today—he builds for decades. He doesn't solve problems with quick fixes—he designs systems that prevent problems from recurring.
His influence taught me that true protection isn't reactive. It's strategic, it's systematic, and it's built to withstand whatever comes next.
The Sentinel Legacy: Institutional Defense Strategy
From Leon, Sentinel Silver inherits our Institutional Defense Strategy. We do not build temporary fixes; we build "Legacy Architecture"—systems designed to protect you for the long haul. Your digital security isn't a one-time setup; it's an ongoing strategic defense that evolves with the threats. We think three moves ahead, so you don't have to.
The Legacy
The Standard They Set
My grandfathers were reverent to their greatest generation.
They had a stoic understanding that you don't boast and brag. You earn respect by just doing. Showing up. Keep showing up. And you don't advertise it.
It's about truly helping your family, your friends and neighbors, and total strangers.
Dick diffused mines so soldiers could walk safely.
Robert maintained aircraft so crews could fly home.
Colleen fought systems for fifteen years so her parents could age with dignity.
Bryan showed up—every time, without fail.
Leon built systems designed to last generations.
None of them needed recognition. They needed to get it right.
That's the foundation Sentinel Silver is built on.
The Turning Point
The Question That Became a Mission
What if we had known?
58%
Reduced risk of cognitive impairment in older adults who regularly engage with digital technology
Benge & Scullin, Nature Human Behavior, 2025 — 411,430 older adults across 57 studies
If I had known, would I have done everything possible to keep Maureen and Joyce digitally connected?
Absolutely. The way Dick would have. The way Robert would have. The way Colleen fought for them for fifteen years.
But Here's the Truth That Haunts Me
The technology was already in their hands. They had smartphones. They had tablets. They had laptops.
What they didn't have was what the Apollo program had—what Dick had diffusing mines, what Robert had maintaining aircraft, what Colleen provided through fifteen years of advocacy:
Patient, expert support. Mission-critical protocols. Someone who shows up regardless of cost. Systems built for lives that depend on getting it right.
NASA didn't hand astronauts a rocket manual and say "figure it out."
The Army didn't send Dick into minefields without training and support.
The Air Force didn't let crews board planes without Pappy's maintenance teams ensuring every system worked.
And Colleen didn't leave her parents to navigate broken systems alone—she fought for them every single day for fifteen years.
My grandparents' generation put men on the Moon with 1960s technology.
Today's seniors hold devices 100,000 times more powerful—and we expect them to navigate it alone.
The Evidence
Maryland's First Older Adult Think Tank & Technology Institute
Sentinel Silver is not a tech support company. We are a clinical research partner focused on Cognitive Preservation and Safety. Every protocol we use is grounded in peer-reviewed science.
The Clinical Anchor: Technological Reserve
Digital technology use is associated with a 58% reduced risk of cognitive impairment in older adults. This isn't our opinion—it's peer-reviewed research from Benge & Scullin (2025).
We position digital fluency not as a convenience, but as a preventative health measure. We call this building "Technological Reserve"—keeping the brain actively engaged with complex interfaces to maintain cognitive plasticity.
The CREATE Center Framework
Our methods are derived from the Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE) guidelines. We understand the clinical realities: aging retinas undergo "yellowing," fine detail recognition declines, and contrast sensitivity decreases.
This is why our website uses large fonts, high contrast, and specific typography. It's not a design preference—it's an accessibility intervention.
Cognitive Load Theory
Research by Sweller demonstrates that older adults process visual information 30-50% slower than younger cohorts. "Visual noise" consumes working memory that should be used for the task at hand.
This is why we strip away complexity. When we simplify your technology, we're reducing cognitive load so your mind can focus on what matters: connecting with family, staying informed, and living independently.
Clinical Operational Protocols (The SSIP)
The Seated Rule: We never train while standing. Your Personal Technology Guide sits at a 90-degree angle beside you—physically dismantling the "expert/novice" power dynamic.
The No-Touch Rule: Your Guide never touches your mouse or device during a lesson. You must perform the motor action yourself to encode the skill into procedural memory.
Recognition Over Recall: We don't ask open-ended questions that strain memory. We provide visual cues, because aging memory relies more heavily on recognition than recall.
The Research Gap We're Filling
Building Academic Partnerships to Advance the Science
"There is insufficient longitudinal data on how sustained professional support services (non-family) impact technology adoption persistence and aging-in-place outcomes."
— Lee & Coughlin (2015), MIT AgeLab, Journal of Product Innovation Management
This research gap—identified after reviewing 59 peer-reviewed studies on older adult technology adoption—is precisely what Sentinel Silver was designed to fill.
We are not waiting for academic institutions to solve this problem. We are actively seeking university partnerships to generate the first comprehensive dataset on professional technology companionship services for community-dwelling older adults.
University Partnership Vision
Sentinel Silver is building relationships with Maryland's leading gerontology and aging research institutions:
Tier 1: Major Research Institutions
University of Maryland System
UMB (Baltimore) — MS & PhD in Gerontology, Center for Research on Aging, GGEAR Program, Peter Lamy Center on Drug Therapy and Aging
UMBC — Erickson School of Aging Studies (the only program in the nation combining business, policy, and aging), BA/MA in Management of Aging Services
UMD College Park — Center on Aging (School of Public Health), Graduate Certificate in Gerontology
Johns Hopkins University
Center on Aging and Health (established 1997), Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center, Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology
Tier 2: Regional & Specialized Programs
Towson University
BA/BS in Gerontology — first undergraduate program in the University System of Maryland
McDaniel College
Center for the Study of Aging, MS in Gerontology — Carroll County
Hood College
Graduate Certificates in Gerontology & Thanatology — Frederick County
Morgan State University
MSW with Gerontology Specialization — urban African American aging populations
The Four-Pillar Think Tank Architecture
Sentinel Silver is the only organization in Maryland combining four critical disciplines into a single, integrated entity:
Technology Support
Direct service delivery to older adults
Education
Evidence-based training for seniors, families, and professionals
Consulting
Strategic advisory services for facilities and organizations
Clinical Health Outcomes
Research, measurement, and publication
This is what it means to be Maryland's First Older Adult Think Tank & Technology Institute.
The Mission
What I'm Building (And Why It Will Take Time)
Sentinel Silver exists because Maureen forgot the Moon Landing and Joyce was scammed out of $3,000.
But I'm building it the way Dick, Robert, and Colleen would: with precision, patience, protocols that work, and unwavering commitment regardless of cost.
Not fast. Right.
The Mission Control Standard
When President Kennedy announced the Moon Landing goal in 1961, NASA didn't launch the next week. They spent 8 years building the systems, testing the protocols, training the teams.
Because lives depended on getting it right.
Dick didn't rush diffusing mines. One mistake meant death.
Robert didn't cut corners on aircraft maintenance. Crews depended on those systems.
Colleen didn't accept "good enough" for fifteen years. Her parents deserved excellence.
Bryan showed up. Every time. Without excuse.
Leon built systems to last. Not to impress.
None of them prioritized speed over getting it right.
Sentinel Silver is being built on the same principle: evidence first, execution after.
No shortcuts. No compromises. Get it right.
Our Core Values
The Ethos Triad
Infinite Patience
We operate on your time. We never rush, never sigh, never look at the clock.
Absolute Simplicity
We reduce complexity. We speak plain English. If it isn't clear, it isn't done.
Unwavering Transparency
We verify truth. We show the screen. We explain the "why." No secrets.
Our Mission
"To empower older adults to remain Safe, Healthy, and Connected. We bridge the technological divide by combining evidence-based protocols with human connection, preserving dignity through Infinite Patience, Absolute Simplicity, and Unwavering Transparency."
Our Vision
"To become the nationally recognized gold standard for dignity-centered elder technology support—transforming the aging experience from one of digital isolation to one of confident independence."
The Promise
The Mission Control Promise
I can't give Maureen back the Moon Landing memory.
I can't restore the stories Joyce has lost.
I can't recover the $3,000 stolen from Joyce—or the $4.885 billion stolen from seniors last year.
But I can build what Dick, Robert, Colleen, Bryan, and Leon would build:
- Systems where lives and dignity depend on excellence—so we deliver excellence.
- Protocols where patience isn't optional—it's mission-critical.
- Standards where getting it right matters more than getting it fast.
- Advocacy that's fearless, relentless, and unwavering—because "what's right is right."
- Reliability you can count on—we show up, every time, without fail.
- Architecture built to last—protection that evolves with the threats.
Support where older adults feel the same confidence as:
Soldiers walking paths Dick cleared.
Crews boarding planes Robert maintained.
Parents knowing Colleen would fight for them regardless of cost.
Anyone who trusted Bryan to show up when he said he would.
Systems protected by Leon's strategic architecture.
When people depend on you—you show up, you do it right, and you fight for them regardless of the cost.
You don't need recognition. You just need to be worthy of their trust.
Ryan R. Miner, MBA
Founder, Chief Executive Officer & Personal Technology Guide
Sentinel Silver
In Memory Of
Carroll Richard "Dick" Hann (1925–2020)
U.S. Army, Mine Disposal Specialist, WWII Europe
35-year Hagerstown Municipal Electric Light Plant Engineer
Chief Master Sergeant Robert Scott "Scotty" Miner (1937–2009)
U.S. Air Force, Retired
Aircraft Support & Maintenance Division
167th Airlift Wing, Martinsburg, WV
Maureen Yvonne Hann (1932–2025)
In Honor Of
Joyce D. Miner (memory care, 2025)
In Profound Respect For
Colleen Bowers
15 years of fearless advocacy
"What's right is right"
Bryan Miner
The foundation of reliability
E. Leon Bowers
Strategic vision, built to last
"They diffused mines, maintained aircraft, fought systems, showed up without fail, and built architecture to last generations—work where lives and dignity depended on getting it right.
I'm building Mission Control for technology 100,000 times more powerful.
Because their generation deserves the same standard my family lived by: Excellence without shortcuts. Advocacy without compromise. Reliability without exception. Strategy without shortcuts. Getting it right because people depend on you.
Regardless of time. Regardless of cost. Because what's right is right."
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