Department of New Hampshire commander organizes session to bring suicide prevention training to Legion Riders, other Legion Family members and the community.
Having lost a number of friends and fellow veterans to suicide, The American Legion’s Be the One veteran suicide prevention mission has become a passion for New Hampshire Legionnaire Myron Crossley.
That’s why in 2024, when asked to make a presentation to the department’s American Legion Family’s recent Mid-Winter Conference, he chose Be the One as his topic. And as the recently elected department commander, it remains it top priority – as evidenced by a recent BTO training session that drew more than 70 Legion Family members.
“I’ve lost a number of veteran friends – ones I served with and veterans that our in our community circle around here – throughout the years,” Crossley said. “I was in the first Persian Gulf War as a combat Marine, and we’ve lost a number of gentlemen I served with to veteran suicide. And other members of our Legion Family and Riders family have succumbed to veteran suicide.
“As a matter of fact, three days before (the training), we lost another person to veteran suicide. So we’ll keep that mission at the forefront of my priorities and work that into the foreseeable future.”
The June training session took place at American Legion Post 47 in Rollinsford, where Crossley is a past post commander and member of its American Legion Riders chapters. He collaborated with other Riders chapters to organize it, hoping to expand Be the One’s reach.
“I was trying to find a platform that would spread the Be the One message to a broader audience, a younger target audience,” he said. “The Riders tend to be comprised of a younger audience than most of the posts are. We’re trying to get the message out to the Post-9/11 veterans in as strong of a way as we can.”
The event was the product of a collaboration between Chapter 47, Chapter 34 in Plaistow and Chapter 67 in Newmarket. Support was provided by ALR Chapter 90 in Raymond, Chapter 72 in Alton and Somersworth Chapter 69, and although there was a strong Riders presence, the day’s audience expanded beyond that.
“It was opened up to anyone who wanted to participate: the entire American Legion Family,” Crossley said. “We had members of the Auxiliary and some from the Sons of The American Legion. We had some other rider groups that were there to listen to the mission, also. And there were some local organizations (in attendance) who were interested in how to bring the message of changing the stigma of veteran suicide back to their organizations.”
In addition to the suicide prevention and awareness training, the day also included representatives from veteran support agencies and other vendors, raffles, lunch and a push-up challenge. A ride was initially scheduled, “but unfortunately, weather quelled the ride itself,” Crossley said. “But it didn’t quell everybody’s spirits to participate in a veteran suicide awareness function. We still had around 70 to 80 people there.”
Crossley attributes the strong turnout to both promoting the event in the media and Be the One and veteran suicide making an increased impact on those previously not associated with the program or issue.
“I think it’s an indication … we’re making an impact in the veteran community and veterans’ families community that it’s OK to come to an event to listen and learn on how to help people who have made the incredible decision to ask for help. Because it is incredibly hard to take that first step,” he said. “And we want the people who are being asked that question to be properly trained to be able to answer it correctly. Because if somebody comes to you and says they’re not OK, how you answer them and how you deal with that situation can be life or death for them. They’re at their weakest right them. And you’ve got to be the strong voice of reason to get them the help they need.”
- Be the One