American Legion Post 282 in La Mesa to host Be the One Weekend June 13-15.
In February 2023, The American Legion Department of California staged a three-day Veterans Awareness Campaign at American Legion Post 83 in Merced, Calif. The event served multiple purposes: to revitalize posts in the area, connect veterans with service officers, raise awareness about the Legion’s Be the One veteran suicide prevention mission and more. There also were panel discussions, as well as both door-to-door and call center membership efforts.
The event was so successful that a similar effort is scheduled for June 13-15, this time focusing on California’s District 22. The Together for Veterans Be the One Weekend will take place at American Legion Post 282 in La Mesa and again will provide multiple services to veterans, perform community outreach and again promote Be the One.
District 22 Commander Vic Martin, the service officer at American Legion Post 275 in La Jolla, is coordinating the event after being requested to do so by American Legion National Headquarters staff. Martin was the district second vice commander in 2023 and helped organize that event.
“It ended up being a huge hit, and everybody seemed to love it,” said Martin, who said he was excited when National Headquarters asked for his help coordinating a similar event. “We learned a lot of lessons from the previous, and so we’re sort of shifting a little bit. We probably won’t have our panel discussions like we had originally. But we’re going to have an art show. We’re going to have door knockers around into the community and visiting with veterans in our community.
“And it’s really going to be a district-wide event. We have a great district. Active and involved. I think this is going to be a huge success.”
Happenings over the course of the three days will include:
· Veterans being connected with onsite accredited veteran service officers to help file or update U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ disability claims.
· District 22 partner organizations onsite to offer vital veteran-centric resources.
· Legionnaires will be doing outreach in the community, which includes sharing information on Be the One through post cards, bumper stickers and more.
· Social interactions that include a community barbecue, live music, the City of La Mesa Flag Day parade and fun activities for all ages.
Be the One is very personal for Martin, himself a suicide survivor. During an April edition of the Legion’s Tango Alpha Lima podcast, Martin talked about his own mission to support veterans in crisis, provide peer support and improve access to mental health services.
“I’m very open about my mental health and my mental illness,” Martin said. “I see Be the One as one of the most critical programs that The American Legion has. I think its mission has been a part of The American Legion through our Buddy Checks that have been going on forever. It is a defined mission that we’ve had for over 100 years. And we have clearly defined that mission through Be the One. I think that Be the One has the ability to save lives.”
- Be the One