Veteran Buddy Check Outreach Kit

Veteran Buddy Checks encourage Veterans to connect or reconnect with their Veteran friends–just to check in. A STRONG Veterans Act of 2022 initiative, Veteran Buddy Checks build on the success of the American Legion’s Buddy Check and the Veteran Wellness Alliance’s Get Involved programs.

Veteran Buddy Checks enhance peer-to-peer connections, improve mental health, and increase access to VA resources. Veterans and their families are encouraged take the pledge to Talk to 10 buddies. In addition to year-round Veteran Buddy Checks, Buddy Check Week will take place October 21 – 25, 2024.

Explore VA’s Veteran Buddy Checks website to learn more about Veteran Buddy Checks, access additional resources, and subscribe to emails to receive up-to-date information to support your Buddy Checks.

Help us raise awareness about Veteran Buddy Checks by leveraging this outreach kit, which includes key messages and resources; sample social media, blog post, and newsletter content; and graphics you can use to help spread the word.

Take the pledge to talk to 10 Veterans. Check-in, catch up, be a buddy. Learn more about Veteran Buddy Checks.

Take the training before talking–recognize signs of distress and learn more about resources you can recommend.

» Peer Wellness Training 2023
» VA S.A.V.E. Training

No one can replace the trust built between Veterans who served together. Reconnect using Together We Served to help find buddies from your unit. Join RallyPoint—the largest social network by, for, and about service members and Veterans—to find, bond with, or be a buddy.

If you’re a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, the Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect. Dial 988 then press 1, chat online, or text 838255.

• Reconnect with your battle buddies, make sure they’re okay. Take the pledge to #TalktoTen!

• When was the last time you talked to your battle buddy from boot camp? You may be doing great, but are they? Learn more about Veteran Buddy Checks.

• All Veterans know “that guy.” The one who always lost his cover or showed up late with the best excuse, but he always made you laugh. When was the last time you talked to him? Be a buddy, check in. We’re asking all Veterans to #TalkToTen buddies. Learn more about Veteran Buddy Checks.

• Many of your friends may be doing well, but others may need help from the community or VA in some way. Check in on your buddies and connect them to useful resources, such as VA.gov or 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411).

• When’s the last time you spoke with your military crew from back in the day? Let’s make a difference together through Veteran Buddy Checks. Take the pledge to #TalkToTen fellow Vets.

• Do you ever wonder how that Airman, Marine, Soldier, Guardian, or Sailor you served with is doing today? Veteran Buddy Checks are a perfect time to find out! Take the pledge, #TalkToTen! Learn more: Veteran Buddy Checks.

• I took the pledge to #TalkToTen Veterans. Learn more about how reaching out makes a difference.

Veteran Buddy Check–Talk to 10 Veterans

In support of The STRONG Veterans Act of 2022, the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) established Veteran Buddy Checks to encourage peer-to-peer connections among Veterans and their families, reduce isolation, support peer crisis intervention, and increase access to both VA and community care and services. To bolster this connectivity and support for Veteran Buddy Checks, VA and partners will promote an annual weeklong observance October 21 – 25, 2024.

We invite all Veterans to complete peer wellness, resiliency, and VA S.A.V.E. Training with a pledge to contact or talk to 10 Veterans. Our goal is to support peer networking, increase access to Veteran resources, improve mental health, promote suicide prevention, and build connections. VA and partners will provide training tools, resources, and other forums to ask questions and share stories about Veterans connecting with peers and battle buddies.

Many of your friends may be doing well, while others may need assistance from the community or VA in some way. We can all be part of the solution! Check in with Veterans in your life and encourage them to reach out if they need help. Share the 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411) phone number, VA.gov/REACH website, and VA Welcome Kit as gateways for needed resources.

Prepare Now

Access the VA S.A.V.E. Training, and in just 30 minutes you’ll be better equipped to reach your buddies and friends offering the support they may need.

Explore new ways to find your battle buddies and friends using Together We Served and RallyPoint. Learn more and get involved with other Veteran-serving organizational efforts, such as The American Legion’s Buddy Check Buddy Check and Veteran Wellness Alliance Check In programs.

Your battle buddies and friends from service may be experiencing a variety of stressors. It’s important to have the right resources handy when talking about life—past, present, and future. The Veterans Crisis Line is the fastest way to get help if your buddy is in crisis. Dial 988 then Press 1 if you encounter a friend needing help now.

Read News About Veteran Buddy Checks

• VA’s first-ever Buddy Check Week–get involved! (VA News)
• Veteran-serving organizations support VA Buddy Check Week (VA News)
• Finding hope with help from our buddies (VA News)

Take the Pledge to #TalkToTen

In the military, we learned to rely on each other. Now we’re out, that hasn’t changed. We all need help sometimes, but do you know when your buddies need help? Join the Veteran community to perform Veteran Buddy Checks and encourage everyone to check in with their battle buddies or rekindle old friendships.  Will you check-in?

Reach out to your Veteran friends, check in. Talk about your family, where you live now, how life has changed since you were back on base together.

Know How to Help

If you think your buddy could use some help, tell them about the available resources.

• 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411) is always the right number to call and a great place to get started with VA.
• Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7. Dial 988 then Press 1, Chat Online, or Text 838255.
• Print the VA Welcome Kit to learn more about what VA offers, how we can help, and how to get started.

Take the Training

Do you know the signs of distress? Many of your friends may be doing well, but others may need help from the community or VA in some way. Be a buddy. Take this 30-minute online training to prepare you to be a better advocate for your friends.