The 250 Buddy Checks initiative is a veteran wellness outreach effort conducted by The American Legion, Department of Utah, as part of The American Legion’s national USA 250 Challenge — a year-long celebration honoring America’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026.
As part of the challenge’s mental wellness category, American Legion posts, units, and squadrons commit to completing 250 Buddy Checks within their communities — personally reaching out to veterans by phone, text, or door-to-door visits to check on their well-being, identify unmet needs, and ensure no veteran feels isolated or forgotten.
Rooted in The American Legion’s Be the One suicide prevention mission, Buddy Checks are more than a courtesy call — they are a lifeline. Legionnaires connect veterans to resources, support services, and a community that understands their experience. Since the national Buddy Check program launched in 2019, the American Legion Family has conducted well over one million veteran check-ins across the country.
The Department of Utah has been a passionate leader in this effort, with past Department Commander Ninzel Rasmuson championing Buddy Checks as a direct, personal way to save lives in a state that has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation.

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