The American Legion’s Consolidated Post Report shows how posts supported Buddy Checks and Be the One at the local level.
Since The American Legion’s Buddy Check program launched in 2019, more than 2.1 million veterans have been reached by phone, text, email or in person to check on their well-being. And The American Legion’s Be the One suicide prevention program is reaching communities nationwide thanks to the ongoing efforts of posts bringing awareness through events, training and resources.
The American Legion’s Consolidated Post Report (CPR) for 2025-2026 shows how posts are making a profound impact with veterans on these two important programs of the organization.
According to the recently compiled CPR:
- 345,193 veterans were contacted through Buddy Checks
- 4,339 posts participated in Buddy Checks
- 2,277 posts participated in the Be the One program
- 17,532 Legion Family and community members have participated in Be the One training
These numbers don’t show the whole picture of how posts are supporting Be the One and Buddy Checks at the local level, as only 7,920 of the 11,592 American Legion posts submitted a 2025-2026 CPR for a 68% completion rate.
If your post, district or department is looking to host a Be the One event, resources are available at betheone.org/resources to help you get started. Resources include:
How-to videos: If you are coordinating an event at your post, district or department related to Be the One, two videos share how to organize an event and engage the media.
Sample media advisory and press release: Download the documents, update them with your Be the One event information and distribute to local media, community partners and others.
Sample speech: Use this prepared speech for any event to educate on the Legion’s Be the One mission and how others can support it.
Materials: Under “Other Resources” there’s customizable content such as print-ready pop-up banners, flags, posters, table covers and more items available for your event. Download the items you want and then order from a local print shop.
Be the One training The American Legion and Columbia University Lighthouse Project provide free suicide prevention training by using the Columbia Protocol, the leading evidence-based tool for suicide risk screening. The Columbia Protocol is a 90-minute session on Zoom that provides a simple, clear framework to identify suicidal thoughts and behaviors, enabling anyone to confidently ask the right questions and take action.
Sign up now for an upcoming training session.
- Be the One