AMERICAN LEGION POST #14 - BOZEMAN, MONTANA

National Suicide Prevention Month September 2022

Be the One

The American Legion is asking you to Be the One to save One veteran.

Instead of talking about the staggering number of daily suicides, Be the One to save One veteran. We can end the stigma surrounding mental health with your help.

And by you, that includes every one of us, military and civilian alike. We all need to Be the One to begin thinking, talking, and acting to save just one life.

Be the One is a multifaceted approach to tacking veteran suicides that includes:

• Asking a veteran in your life how they are doing.
• Listening when a veteran needs to talk.
• Reaching out when a veteran is struggling.
• Destigmatizing asking for mental help support.
• Providing peer-to-peer support and resources in local communities.
• Creating safe spaces for veterans to be open about their struggles and encouraging every American, veteran and civilians alike, to Be the One to help end veteran suicide.

Finding solutions for at-risk veterans requires a broad approach. Cognitive therapies work for some, while others benefit from a peer-to-peer approach. Other therapies range from physical activities (hiking, rucking, fishing) to mental (yoga, art, music). More options mean lives saved. Additionally, research can be used to enact changes that reduce the likelihood of veterans suffering from PTSD in the first place, especially those who were in combat.

Oftentimes, people recognize a veteran in pain. But they don't know, one, how to identify and access resources for treatment. Two, if they do identify those resources, how to help convince a veteran it's in their best interest to pursue treatment.

Rick Gale, Public Relations

American Legion Post #14 Bozeman, Montana Veterans Alliance of Southwest Montana

Former Crisis Negotiator, Irvine Police Department