I write this op-ed from Colorado Springs, Colorado, home to Fort Carson, one of the US Army’s largest installations, where nearly 90,000 veterans live – about 17% of residents, almost three times the national average.
On Monday, Americans observed Memorial Day – a day dedicated to honoring US military personnel who gave their lives in service. As Israelis, we recognize the personal and universal cost of conflict, yet few of us glimpse the struggles our American counterparts endure when they return home.
Our recent visit to the Dominican Republic’s US Veterans Village revealed a model of care that carries profound lessons for both Israel and the United States as we confront the hidden wounds of war.
The unseen battle of US veterans
Since 2001, in nearly 25 years of the American War on Terror, more than 2.7 million American service members have deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. Yet back home, the transition to civilian life is often brutal.
According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, approximately 6,400 US veterans died by suicide in 2022 – about 17.6 every day. Many wait months just for an initial mental-health appointment, only to face a fractured system of care plagued by bureaucracy and delay.
We met a veteran at the village, a project of USA DR Veterans Healthcare, who told us it took him five to six months just to see a psychiatrist. At the village, he received access to every doctor and service he needed in a single day – free of charge. His story reflects a larger truth: the system back home is overwhelmed, but in this village, a comprehensive alternative exists.
Here in Israel, we confront our own legacy of service. Recent figures show that approximately one in five combat veterans in the IDF struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and many more carry undiagnosed emotional trauma. Despite improvements in awareness, our support systems remain reactive – bureaucratic hurdles delay treatment, and cultural stigma still discourages help-seeking. We owe it to our soldiers to go beyond slogans and memorial walls, ensuring they receive holistic care that prevents tragedy before it strikes.
Sanctuary of integrated care
On a sun-drenched stretch of Costambar Beach, the Dominican Republic US Veterans Village stands as a twenty-acre testament to what comprehensive support can achieve. Co-founded by Dr. Gary Deutchman and Fidelio Sanchez, the village offers a thirty-day residential program that merges psychotherapy, acupuncture, neurofeedback, physical and aqua therapy – all in one setting. US Marine veteran Manny Salazar, who started as a patient, now helps lead the therapeutic programs.
Each participant receives a personalized care plan and the constant guidance of a dedicated case manager, eliminating the delays, inconsistencies, and gaps that plague other programs. This approach addresses the full spectrum of trauma – mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual – in a way few systems manage to do.
And the care doesn’t stop with the individual veteran. Families are welcomed into the process and housed in comfortable on-site apartments. Spouses and children are invited to participate in educational workshops, family therapy, and support groups. This acknowledgment – that trauma ripples through families – sets a new standard for veteran rehabilitation.
But the real magic of the village lies beyond clinical treatment. Veterans live, dine, and train together, forging deep bonds that counter the isolation so many feel when they return home. As Salazar explains, “Here, we heal mind, body, and spirit – together, without waiting.”
Outdoor and adventure-based therapies are central to the program. Participants engage in activities like scuba diving, surfing, and equine therapy – all proven methods for addressing PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Research has shown that scuba diving, for instance, can dramatically reduce symptoms of trauma by fostering mindfulness and trust. Horse therapy helps veterans reconnect emotionally and develop non-verbal communication skills, while surfing builds resilience and confidence.
These experiences restore something too often lost in the transition from service to civilian life: purpose. By reconnecting with nature and community, veterans rediscover meaning and momentum.
Today, in discussions with the Israeli embassy in Santo Domingo, plans are underway to launch Hebrew-speaking cohorts by late 2025. Israeli veterans and mental-health professionals will immerse themselves in this model, studying its core principles and adapting them to our cultural context. The hope is that such a model – rooted in community, integration, and action – can be applied to Israeli society, where trauma is also an unspoken epidemic.
Redefining remembrance
This Memorial Day reminded us that honoring the fallen also means caring for the living. The Dominican Republic US Veterans Village is more than a sanctuary; it is a global blueprint for trauma recovery, grounded in compassion, connection, and continuity of care.
As Israelis, we stand to gain not only innovative tools for helping our own veterans, but also a renewed solidarity with those around the world who carry invisible wounds. In doing so, we reaffirm that true remembrance demands more than ceremonies – it requires action, empathy, and the unwavering commitment to heal those who have borne the cost of peace.
For more on programs of the Dominican Republic Veterans Village and potential collaborations, visit drveterans.com.
The writer is a travel photojournalist specializing in wellness tourism and nature conservation, currently on a family emissary mission across North and Central America with Bedein – Agents of Hope.