Post 57 in Fairbanks hosted an in-person Columbia Protocol suicide prevention training.
American Legion Auxiliary Past National President Lisa Williamson put out a press release to the Fairbanks, Alaska, community inviting anyone to attend a Be the One suicide prevention training on Oct. 18, hosted by the Legion Family of C. Russell Huber Post 57, to save a life.
“We told them it’s a free event, come learn,” she said of the training, which was held in conjunction with the department’s fall conference. “It’s an hour and a half worth your time to save a life.”
A public affairs officer from Fort Wainwright came and stayed the whole time, Williamson said. He asked afterward, “’How can I be a member of this organization?’ We signed him up as a member” because he saw The American Legion’s mission with Be the One.
The American Legion’s Be the One mission is to reduce the rate of suicide by providing resources to empower Legion Family and community members to know when a veteran is in crisis and how to act to save a life.
“I'm passionate about this topic,” Williamson said. “We know that suicide's one of those subjects that nobody likes to talk about. And I'm a firm believer that the more we talk about it, the more likely someone is going to ask for help or know what to do if they see someone in crisis.”
The American Legion partnered with the Columbia University Lighthouse Project to conduct in-person and virtual training sessions to reduce the incidences of veterans and servicemembers lost to suicide. Sign up for a free 90-minute training. Dr. Adam Walsh, one of the trainers who travels to Legion events to conduct suicide prevention training, presented in Fairbanks where 95 people attended, including American Legion National Commander Dan K. Wiley, Sons of The American Legion National Commander Bill Clancy III, and Western Division National Vice President Joan Cannon.
“The training itself was incredible,” Williamson said, adding that it is the fourth time she has taken the Columbia Protocol training between in-person and virtually. “There are things that Adam mentioned that I forgot about, so a refresher, I don't think, is a bad thing at all. And there were a few people who had taken the training online and said that they got so much more out of this one. When you can look someone in the eyes (during roll playing), I think that goes a long way.”
American Legion departments and posts are also encouraged to contact the Columbia University Lighthouse Project to bring the suicide prevention training in person to Legion Family and community members. Schedule in-person training by emailing Wendy Lakso, director of partnerships and veteran and military initiatives for the Columbia Lighthouse Project, at wendy.lakso@nyspi.columbia.edu.
“(Adam) talked about how one suicide can affect 135 people. It's that ripple effect because it affects people at work, it affects your church, it affects your family,” Williamson said.
- Be the One