“Suicide prevention doesn’t happen in clinics alone; it happens in everyday conversations,” Wendy Lakso, director of partnerships and veteran and military initiatives for the Columbia Lighthouse Project, said in this Q&A with The American Legion. “With the Columbia Protocol in their back pockets, Legionnaires are uniquely positioned to lead that national shift. Our partnership with the Legion is helping to bring the life-saving Columbia Protocol to all hands and exponentially save more lives.”
American Legion departments and posts are also encouraged to contact the Columbia University Lighthouse Project and bring the suicide prevention training in person to Legion Family members. As an example, training is scheduled in New Mexico Oct. 4; Post 57 in Fairbanks, Alaska, Oct. 18; and Minnesota Oct. 24-25.
The American Legion Family in Fairbanks is hosting training event Oct 18 aimed at reducing rate of veteran suicide
Who: The American Legion Family at C. Russell Huber Post 57 in Fairbanks, Alaska will host Columbia Lighthouse Project Suicide Prevention Training, which is aimed at reducing the number of veterans and servicemembers lost to suicide. Everyone is invited to attend.
When: Saturday, October 18, 2025 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Where: The no-cost event will be held at the JP Jones Center, located at 2400 Rickert Street in Fairbanks.
Why: The American Legion is leading a nationwide effort — Be the One— to eliminate the stigma related to mental health treatment, and in turn, lower the number of veterans who die by suicide every day. Estimates show 22 veterans are lost to suicide daily. The American Legion has elevated Be the One to be its primary mission, empowering veterans, servicemembers, their family members and civilians to act appropriately when a veteran may be at risk.
What: The highly successful Columbia Lighthouse Project Training walks attendees through steps and questions to ask a veteran to understand whether they need immediate help.
After the training, participants will be able to:
- Use the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale to determine at-risk individuals.
- Identify risk factors and warning signs.
- Outline the types of suicidal ideation and four behaviors that indicate imminent risk.
- Communicate effectively with an individual who may be at risk of hurting themselves.
For more information and to register for the October 18th training in Fairbanks, please email teamalaska2023@gmail.com.
More details can be found by clicking here
