Rocio Palmero who found ‘healing’ with The Legion is taking on suicide prevention with “Be the One.” (Photo: vpanlosangeles)
On April 26, California American Legion posts, Culver City Post 46, Los Angeles Post 8 and Ronald Reagan Post 283, are partnering with the Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs for a Veteran Women Suicide Prevention Conference. The event, organized by Rocio Palmero, a former U.S. Navy Veteran, will feature first-person narratives from two at-risk Veterans, an expert panel discussing suicide statistics, and a presentation on military sexual trauma and other risk factors for suicide.
The event will feature a presentation from the LA County Sheriff’s Department Veteran Mental Evaluation Team, with panelists discussing ways to support Veterans. Post 46’s vice commander and Area 6’s and District 24’s chaplain, Palmero, said she found a calling in The Legion years after leaving the military.
Palmero felt lost after leaving the Navy Reserve in 2006. She found solace in the nonprofit U.S. VETS and became involved with The American Legion, eventually joining Community Post 46 in Culver City, California. Palmero has taken on leadership roles at the post, area, and district levels, and is now expanding her efforts to raise awareness about The American Legion’s top priority: Veteran suicide prevention.
In the past six months, four women Veterans have committed suicide in Los Angeles and Orange County. Palmero stated the need for urgent conversations to address these issues, emphasizing that they are not being addressed. Representatives from The American Legion, the VA Center for Women Veterans, the U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. VETS, and Psycharmor, a nonprofit and training provider for military cultural awareness, will be speaking at the event. These conversations will provide facts and figures to address these issues.
Palmero struggled with mental health issues and loneliness due to not identifying as a Veteran and not being around other Veterans. She stopped drilling in the reserves and attended an all-women college, where she was lonely for two and a half years. After working for U.S. VETS, she became familiar with The American Legion and met California’s Department Commander Jere Romano. After discussing finding a post, she joined Post 46 four months later.
Palmero found solace in The American Legion community, which helped her heal. She realized that once she stopped serving in the military, she would still be a Veteran for life. This allowed her to surround herself with other Veterans, allowing her to feel connected, and not confined, to her past. The Legion allowed her to continue serving and contribute to the fight for Veterans’ rights.
Palmero said she and others in Los Angeles are implementing The American Legion’s “Be the One” suicide prevention program to encourage people to talk to someone in need. They believe that having these conversations empowers people to listen with awareness and provide information to help them. She believes that some American Legion members may not know how to have these conversations; therefore, this event will encourage everyone to “Be the One” and help those in need.
Author: Rikki Almanza
Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted connection to the military, a spouse who is a Navy veteran, a father who served in the Air Force for 25 years, and a grandfather who proudly served, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.
