National commander spreads message of suicide prevention, second chances
Be the One!
LA CRESCENT — American Legion National Commander James A. “Jim” LaCoursiere Jr. came to Minnesota the last week of March with a message: “It’s OK to not be OK, and you know that I am on your side.”
Preventing veteran suicide, he said, is the top priority of The American Legion. He called on members to be compassionate about struggling veterans.
“Be the One,” he said, “is not a campaign slogan. It is a mission.”
LaCoursiere, whose home post is Moosup Post 91 in Connecticut, visited Forest Lake Post 225, Apple Valley Post 1776, Pine Island Post 184, La Crescent Post 595, Eyota Post 551, Faribault Post 43, Fridley Post 303, Buffalo Post 270, Paynesville Post 271, Granite Falls Post 69 and Slayton Post 64.
The La Crescent stop was at the La Crescent Area Event Center. The Granite Falls one was at the Fagan Fighters World War II Museum. The Slayton visit was at the Murray County Fairgrounds in the 4-H Building. The remainder were at post homes.
The national commander also found time to meet with leadership of the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Minnesota National Guard and Minneapolis VA Medical Center. He spoke with the soldiers of the 224th Transportation Company in Faribault and made a pitstop at Traxler’s Hunting Preserve in Le Center.
Second chances
In Pine Island, LaCoursiere told the story of his second chance. He encouraged all Legionnaires to give second chances to each other.
In 2017, he was campaigning to be national commander within two years when he was cited for driving under the influence and was facing a felony charge. His campaign was suspended and he lost his national chairmanship. He was in a deep, dark place and was suicidal.
“My team within The American Legion let me know that they were there to take care of me, to get me the VA treatment I needed,” he said. “They stayed in touch, helped bond my family together, and, to this day, that is why I truly embrace our ‘Be the One’ mission.”
LaCoursiere’s last drink was Oct. 1, 2017. He was able to resume his campaign five years later and was elected national commander in New Orleans at the end of August 2024.
The national commander reminded audience members that everyone must strive to speak with each other, not just talk at each other.
“We must listen, not just hear. And we must see one another, not merely look at.”
His theme is L.U.V., which stands for “Loyalty, Unity, Valor.” He spoke of his love for the Legion Family and wants young veterans to experience the same love so they can enhance the organization.
Be the One app
LaCoursiere ended up doing 17 media interviews during the tour. His aide, Butch Hansen, said most statewide tours have only two or three. The commander called Minnesota’s tour “top-notch” several times.
During his interviews, he encouraged people to get out their cellphones and download the “Be the One” app. It walks users through steps to prevent suicides of anyone, not just veterans. It is found on Apple’s App Store and on Google Play. Just search “be the one.”
“We can have the resources we need right at our fingertips at the moment we need them,” he said.
The American Legion worked hand in hand with the Columbia Lighthouse Project to develop the mobile app.
VA staff cuts
The American Legion has not made public statements about potential cuts to the VA staffing, he said, because it enables Legion staff in D.C. to talk with decision-makers and have real conversations.
“We do not jump on the bandwagon. We want to have a complete dialogue with the key players,” he said.
LaCoursiere said the Legion is very aware of the report of a projected 83,000 staff cuts from the Department of Veterans Affairs. That, he said, looks to be a working figure based on 2019 levels — prior to the 2022 passage of the PACT Act.
He said the administration will produce a report by the middle of April, then a review in mid-May, with a decision in mid-June.
“We feel there still is time to work with Congress,” he said.
The American Legion is watching to ensure health care of veterans and benefits are not impacted. He said the Legion believes that a staff reduction of 83,000 would leave the VA unable to service the veterans who receive VA health care via the PACT Act.
“We are asking Congress to keep their word,” La Coursiere told the audience in La Crescent. “We want them to be smart about making these cuts. Do not mess with our health care, military benefits or veterans benefits.”
He added: “We will fight tooth and nail for them.”
The commander shared the same sentiment in a meeting with Minneapolis VA officials and shared the “Be the One” app. He also toured several areas of the hospital, such as the Spinal Cord Injury Center.
Applicant medical reimbursement
There are times when military recruits (or their families) end up paying for the cost of required medical evaluations, which can be a deterrent to the enlistment process.
The commander and his aide will bring back to American Legion Headquarters in Indianapolis the feedback they received in meetings with officials. The problem of reimbursing medical evaluations was brought up by Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke, adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard, and Lt. Col. Kristen Auge, director of strategic communications.
“Applicant medical reimbursement” is an effort to get the military to reimburse recruits or their families for those expenses.
U.S. Reps. Brad Finstad and Angie Craig introduced language in Congress last year that was included in the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. It authorizes the secretary of defense for those reimbursements up to $100. However, there was no funding tied to the program.
A similar bill was introduced by Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Todd Young (of Indiana).
Manke and Auge said recruiters for all branches of the armed forces would like members of The American Legion in Minnesota and nationwide to ask U.S. senators and representatives to fund “applicant medical reimbursement.”
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the annual cost would be $5 million.
Manke also spoke about lack of construction funding. He said the National Guard elements make up 20 percent of the U.S. joint forces. However, they only receive about 4 percent of the military’s construction budget.
224th Transportation Company
There are about 130 soldiers in the company, said Sgt. 1st Class Samuel Sherer. The Faribault Armory, he said, is able to accommodate 170.
LaCoursiere asked him and his full-time staff what soldiers in the company needed help with. The soldiers said some of their team who drill one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer struggle with finances. Others struggle with housing post-AIT or when under extreme duress from life’s hurdles. There don’t seem to be resources, they said, for recruits coming from difficult home situations.
They would like to see incentives for careerists beyond the 12-year mark. Also, they would like morale boosts for all troops as retention gifts. An example was “incentive flights” — getting to ride in an airplane or helicopter at Camp Ripley after re-enlisting.
“Pilots tell us they have to go on the flights anyway, to get hours. Why not let a couple of us on board?”
Another concern was the ASVAB test. One said it does not equate to an intelligence test because people learn hands-on or in various ways other than memorization. The person also said many soldiers don’t know that they can retake the ASVAB.