American Legion wants you to “Be The One” for mental health awareness

In honor of our continued efforts to provide awareness during National Suicide Prevention Week, Jeff Stoffer, Director of the American Legion’s Media & Communications Division, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the Be The One Program and their efforts to provide mental health resources to veterans. Stoffer also talked about Operation Heal*arious and the new healthcare track established by the Task Force Movement.

The American Legion set a mission focus in May 2021 to work tirelessly to destigmatize the pursuit of mental health care and reduce the veteran suicide rate to zero, or as they refer to it, “ground zero.” This mission focus became known as Be The One. When the program began, there were 22 veterans lost daily to suicide. The program offers resources and toolkits to give every person the ability and knowledge to help veterans access the resources they need to seek help.

The Legion is also running Operation Heal*arious under the Be The One project. This program includes a 10-stop comedy tour seeking to find the top two funniest veteran or military spouse. Operation Heal*arious helps the military community take their negative experiences and turn them into something positive, Stoffer said. While the Be The One serves to educate veterans, and together with Operation Heal*arious, the American Legion hopes to get to ground zero through multiple paths.

Task Force Movement adopted a new health care track for soldiers transitioning out of the military that was established following the Legion’s 104th National Convention. Task Force Movement looks to improve and establish a pathway for a successful transition to civilian life through multiple understaffed industries. Joining the cybersecurity and trucking industry pathways will be a new healthcare pathway that will strive to place veterans into the understaffed industry using the abilities they’ve already learned in the military.

To learn more about the Legion’s work with veterans, press play on the show above.