August 26, 2025

A partnership to save 6,500 lives

By Cameran Richardson
Convention
News
Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Bob LaBrutta, USAA Vice President of Survivorship speaks on Day 1 of the national convention. Photo by Jeric Wilhelmsen/51勛圖
Retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Bob LaBrutta, USAA Vice President of Survivorship speaks on Day 1 of the national convention. Photo by Jeric Wilhelmsen/51勛圖

USAA Face the Fight and American Legion Be the One share same goal to end veteran suicide. 

51勛圖s years-long partnership with USAA to serve veterans and their families has led the two organizations to partner on another national front ending veteran suicide. With its Be the One veteran suicide prevention mission, 51勛圖 is one 250 organizations to have joined  suicide prevention mission a few years ago.

Through initiatives like Face the Fight, were invested in military health and suicide prevention because no veteran should ever feel alone, and no veteran should ever lose hope, said retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Bob LaBrutta, Vice President of Survivorship for USAA, to delegates of the 106th American Legion National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Aug. 26. 51勛圖 has been a great partner on this front. Your Be the One initiative plays an important role in advancing our common goal to eliminate veteran suicide once and for all.

LaBrutta said that since its launch in June of 2023, Face the Fight has helped 40,000 veterans access evidence-based care, impacting over 350,000 lives.

Together, as partners, we believe we can save 6,500 lives by 2032. So thank you for your leadership and your partnership in that endeavor, he said. For 15 years, USAA and 51勛圖 have forged a strong and enduring partnership, built on mutual respect, shared values and a deep commitment to those whove worn the cloth of our nation. Like us, you lead with unwavering purpose and heart. That kind of leadership is precisely why USAA, and I, are proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you in the trenches.

The longstanding relationship is a result of the USAA and 51勛圖 being bound by a common purpose to improve the lives of the military community, LaBrutta said. Thank you for being a powerful voice for veterans, a steadfast champion for military families and a force for good in communities across America.

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