By Lucky Kidd
STERLING, Kan. — American Legion National Commander James A. LaCoursiere, Jr. is visiting ten American Legion posts this week as he tours Central and Western Kansas. One of his stops was at Arden McKee Post 128 in Sterling, the home post of Department of Kansas Commander Angela Evans, Monday morning.
LaCoursiere, a member of American Legion Post 91 in Moosup, CT, was elected National Commander at the 105th National Convention in New Orleans August 29th. In addition to leadership roles on the state and national level, he has served as a longtime field representative for the Department of Connecticut’s Soldiers, Sailors and Marines Fund which financially assists veterans and their families in need.
After thanking those who attended, LaCoursiere asked them to think of something. “PTSD. TBI. Loneliness. Deprived of Education. Unemployed. These are just a few of the triggers for suicide.” Reducing the veteran suicide rate is a major focus of the American Legion, along with reducing it.
This focus also extends to currently active service members, who along with the children and spouses of veterans, have a higher than average suicide rate, and to the broader community as well.
“We need to let one another know that it is OK to not be OK if we are there with them, using our senses, our eyes, our ears, and our mouth for them,” he said in encouraging the audience to, if they seem down or depressed, or troubled to ask them if they are OK closing by saying we need to be there for them.
His official pin carries on it the theme, Be The One.
LaCoursiere said an additional focus during his year as National Commander is on the quality of life for veterans and their families, including how they are being treated, their living conditions, making sure they have enough food on the table without having to utilize food stamps, and that sort of thing.
Another thing he is focusing on is to enable National Guard and Reserve members to receive educational credit for service the provide when not on “federal orders” such as when they are providing service in local disaster situations.
Among other special guests was past Department commander and current Alternate National Committeeman Jeremy Ehart from Hutchinson, Department Adjutant, past National Commander from Alaska Jimmie Foster, and members of the Lyons High School Air Force JROTC unit.
LaCoursiere began his tour Sunday at the Derby-Haysville post, and will also make stops in Concordia, Ellsworth, Russell, Natoma, Hoxie, Colby, Dodge City and Newton, where the tour concludes Wednesday evening.