The Department of Veterans Affairs is encouraging veterans to reach out to 10 of their veteran friends next week as part of the first National Buddy Check Week, an initiative aimed at improving former service members' mental health by having them connect or reconnect with one another.
“No one can replace the bonds between veterans who served together,” Deputy VA Secretary Tanya Bradsher said in a statement Friday. “Through National Buddy Check Week, we're encouraging all veterans to reach out to their buddies, even if they haven't talked for a while. And if a veteran needs help, please refer them to VA. Don't let a buddy miss out on the resources they've earned.”
Buddy Check Week will officially start Monday and run through Oct. 20. The VA is also encouraging veterans' family members, caregivers and survivors to participate in the program.
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Veterans and others can take a pledge to talk to 10 veteran friends or family members on the VA's website.
National Buddy Check Week was mandated in a broader bill related to veterans' mental health care that was signed into law in December.
The initiative is modeled off a program the American Legion started in 2019 in which volunteers from the organization call veterans for wellness checks and to see how they can help. The Legion says it has reached at least 1 million people through its Buddy Check…
