Cameron Berry leads around 200 participants on Be the One Walk in Alexandria, Va.
Under a hot Virginia sun, temperatures at Market Square in historic Old Town Alexandria were in the mid-90s, the heat index a good 10 degrees hotter than that. A light breeze did little to deter the heat or the dampness that is typical for a summer day in the Beltway.
But yet, around 200 people were gathered there and would embark on a 1.5-mile walk down King Street, along the Potomac River, around Founders Park and then back up King. The parade of people – many members of the American Legion Family – carried U.S. flags and banners representing the reason for the walk: The American Legion’s Be the One veteran suicide prevention program.
And it was all set up by a 14-year Boy Scout working to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, while also raising awareness about an issue the average American doesn’t know about or understand.
The Be the One Walk to End Veteran Suicide was organized by 14-year-old Cameron Berry, the son of Craig Berry, a member of the executive committee at nearby George Washington American Legion Post 24, which hosted a reception for walk participants afterward.
Cameron, who will be a freshman at Alexandria City High School and is a member of Scout Troop 301, said the Be the One walk idea came from a discussion with Post 24 Adjutant Scott Allen after seeing what a fellow Scout was doing.
‘I was inspired by one of my Scout members. He had something that had to do with veterans. I talked with my mom and discussed Eagle Scout projects, and then I talked with (Post 24) and asked if I could do anything with The American Legion. (Post Adjutant Scott Allen) said there was a campaign that I could host a walk. That’s pretty much where I got my project from.”
Cameron spent more than a month planning the event, getting support from his father, as well as his mother Amber, Scout Troop 301’s committee chairman.
“He knew he wanted to do something (veteran-related),” Amber said. “Veteran suicide was something that was meaningful to him, particularly. We were looking around, and the Be the One – knowing that it’s such an important mission – it just made sense to do it.”
Craig Berry, who spent 41 years in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve before retiring in 2021, said he was encouraged that Cameron chose Be the One as his Eagle Scout project. “I’ve also been involved in some other veteran suicide programs,” he said. “When he looked at doing that project, I thought that was going to be very impactful. Something that could really change things for the post, for the community. And I kind of think it might be a legacy thing.”
In the time leading up to the walk, Amber said another Scout parent created a flyer that was used to publicize the event that was shared within the community via social media. Cameron also created a registration site via Eventbrite. They also used guidance available in the Be the One Resources section of the national website.
Cameron reached out to other veteran service organizations, as well as local government officials, ensuring the walk had permission to use the Market Square area on a busy Sunday afternoon in Old Town.
In his opening remarks before the walk, Cameron noted that the mission behind Be the One – be the one to ask a veteran how they’re doing, be the one to listen, be the one to care and possibly be the one to save a life – mirror those of the Scouts.
“The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices by living according to the Scout Oath and Law,” Cameron said. “We’re taught to be helpful, loyal, kind, brave – and above all, to lead and serve. This walk is my way of doing just that: using leadership to unite our community, and service to show our veterans that they are not alone.”
Cameron also asked participants to sign the Be the One banner that he carried throughout the walk, stationed at the front of the parade next to his grandfather – a Vietnam War veteran.
“Your signature is more than just ink on fabric,” Cameron told participants. “It’s a pledge. A promise to be the one who helps end veteran suicide. It’s a visible reminder to every veteran who sees it that we care, we’re grateful, and we will not forget them.
“When I carry this flag at the front of the walk, I won’t just be leading a group of participants. I’ll be carrying your promises. I’ll be carrying proof that we, as a community, stand together to support those who have served us.”
Multiple veteran service organizations and other resources had tables set up at Market Square prior to and during the walk, including Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Virginia Department of Veteran Services, the U.S. Department of Labor’s VETS program and the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Northern Virginia.
“We knew we wanted a lot of veteran service organizations here so the community could see what kind of resources are available for veterans,” Amber said. “It really started with reaching out to them and getting a sense of, ‘Are you interested in this? Is this something you’d like to do?’ Everyone, hands down – ‘Yes, we want to do this.’”
The pre-walk ceremony was kicked off by Alexandria Town Crier Benjamin Fiore-Walker, whose bell drew the crowd to the stage and whose words expressed the importance of the walk.
“We gather here for an event to bring awareness to an issue from which we will not hide,” Fiore-Walker said. “This event … is to increase awareness and to inspire action. Having people ask vets how they’re doing and give them support is the intended reaction.”
Alexandria Vice-Mayor Sarah Bagley was in attendance and on behalf of Mayor Alyia Gaskins and the Alexandria City Council read a proclamation naming June 22 “Veteran Suicide Prevention Day in the City of Alexandria.”
“The City of Alexandria stands united in raising awareness, encouraging open conversations about mental health, and promoting resources to prevent veteran suicide,” part of proclamation read.
Post 24 Commander Kelly Niernberger was one of many Legion Family members that took part in the walk, with some coming from other Virginia posts. Cooling off at the post afterward, he had praise for both the effort by Cameron and his family, and for community members who came to support the walk. “It’s our duty,” he said. “And it’s great that they want to be a part of that and help make it stronger.”
After the walk, Cameron expressed surprise with the turnout. “I really didn’t expect that many people to show up,” he said. “I expected around 50 maybe, or 30. So when I saw the amount of people … I was just amazed that I could do something like that.”
There also were some pretty proud parents on hand.
“It is an incredible feeling … knowing that No. 1, all of these people are here because they want to make a difference and they believe they can Be the One,” Amber said. “And it makes me proud that Cameron is the impetus for that. He is the one that brought them all together. It’s overwhelming.”
Craig expressed similar pride in his son. “It means a lot to me as a dad to see Cameron pull off a project like this,” he said. “There was a lot to be done. He spent probably a couple months on this. And it was a lot of work. We practiced and practiced and worked out all the logistics.
“We had his back. There was a lot of family support. But at the end of the day, it was his project. To see Cameron pull that off, it makes me really proud.”
And the magnitude of that project is not lost on its organizer.
“I realized my project, it really is important,” Cameron said. “The way I think of it, me and everyone here on my walk is here to support the veterans who have served for us. I feel like if I did this project, it would really leave an impact on how people would feel about veteran suicide.”
- Be the One