Florida District 13 gives veterans one stop for suicide prevention resources

American Legion Department of Florida District 13 Commander Bud Boyer said that the state has led in veteran suicides for the last three years. “Here in Florida, you can talk to anyone at a post, and they are going to know someone who (died by) suicide,” Boyer said. “The ones that need help, we have to help them. That’s why it’s important to dedicate our time and money to this cause (veteran suicide prevention awareness) … we are taking care of our brothers and sisters that we trained with, we fought with, we came home with. We have to take care of each other.”    

The District 13 American Legion Family – Legionnaires, Sons of The American Legion, Auxiliary and Legion Riders – supported their mission of caring for each other by holding a veteran suicide awareness event at American Legion Post 110 in Port Charlotte, Fla., March 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event was open to veterans, their families and caregivers, and the community, where 25 vendors were onsite to help with mental health, counseling, filing VA claims, and more.

“I think the biggest thing for veterans is that we don’t always know the resources,” said Mike Turner, a member of Post 38 in Fort Myers and the co-chair for the event’s committee. “We tried to cover the whole gamut of providing for servicemembers in the state of Florida, for veterans in the state of Florida, for the family and dependents and for caregivers. We had quite a bit of care to help heal people or get them to know that there is a way to heal.”

A few of the vendors included veteran service officers to file claims, Department of Veterans Affairs suicide prevention and homeless outreach, Charlotte County Veteran Services, Fort Myers Mobile Vet Center, I’ve Got Your Six, service dogs, PTSD Awareness Summit, equine therapy, American Foundation of Suicide Prevention Southwest Chapter, Comfort Keepers for the caregivers, Florida Medicare for veterans who don’t use the VA to utilize, Marine Corps League, National Veterans Resources, and the Department of Florida’s Project Vet Relief, which the event helped raise money for to provide assistance to veterans in crisis.

“If we saved one person (Saturday) we did a lot,” Boyer said. “They came in, got their claims help and got to see all of these other people out there that are willing to help. This is for the veterans, this is the most important thing to get these guys and these girls and these girls to stop and say ‘Hey, I have more to live for, I don’t want to do this. I want to live.’”

More than 300 people attended the veteran suicide awareness event at Post 110. And 12 veterans received a 100% VA disability claim onsite, with others in the claims process.

“If we can just save one veteran a day, eventually maybe it will be two, three, four people a day to the point where that 22 is 0. We all feel strongly about this,” Boyer added.  

Before veterans interacted with the vendors, the event got underway with a remembrance walk for the  veterans who have died by suicide. The walk was escorted by Port Charlotte police with prayer by Department of Florida Chaplain Barry Roberts, and two equine horses followed the veterans. “Cars were beeping and waving. It was just amazing,” said Deanna Hall, a member of Post 323 in Lehigh Acres who also served as co-chair of the event planning committee. “When one veteran commits suicide, it affects the whole community, it affects the family, it affects the person that they worked next to (wondering) ‘How could I have done something different?’ It is a communal epidemic. We need to do better of helping them. We need to do that awareness. I’m very passionate about (veteran suicide awareness and prevention).”  

District 4 Commissioner Stephen Deutsch also gave a proclamation that March 26 was Vet Relief Day for veteran suicide.

After the walk, a presentation of colors was given by Port Charlotte JROTC and remarks by several American Legion Family members. Department of Florida Veteran Affairs and Rehabilitation Chairman Alan Cohen challenged everyone to spend at least two hours to helping veterans over the next 30 days; and Department Auxiliary Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Chairman Dee Bell reminded everyone to thank their loved one for their military service. During a time when her husband was to be honored for his service, she realized of all the men and women she has thanked she never said “thank you for your service” to her husband. “There wasn’t a dry eye” Hall said after Cohen and Bee spoke.

More emotions followed when all Vietnam veterans were called to come forward to receive a proper welcome home and a Vietnam pin. This was a very moving moment for Hall as she honored her fellow Legionnaires who are Vietnam veterans and her father who served two tours in Vietnam as a U.S. Marine.

Hall said it was nonstop all day as attendees enjoyed speaking with the vendors, listening to the band Blackbird Anthem and eating food provided, and there was face painting and for children. “God was with us the entire event,” she said. “We were just so passionate about (veteran suicide awareness). It’s just important that we get the word out there. It needs to be talked about.”  

District 13 put on a one-day event, but Boyer added that the Department of Florida is devoted to veteran suicide awareness all year. “We talk about this; we are always working on something that has to do with suicide prevention.

“We feel they are afraid to ask for help. That’s why we do these events,” Boyer said. “There is nothing to be ashamed of, there is nothing to be worried about if you’re asking for help. With (these events) we are hoping we are showing people that there’s no reason not to ask for help. Plus, we are letting people who have never served know that we served, we put the uniform on, we protected you. Come see what’s going on and if you really believe in the military, you believe in the veteran, come join us in our cause.”