Resilience and Hope – Addressing Soldiers’ Trauma and Grief

BEFORE OCTOBER 7, 2023, approximately 60,000 brave men and women were already carrying wounds sustained during service. Since then, more IDF soldiers and 360,000 reservists found themselves plunged into the very real nightmare of war. For too many soldiers, the mental and emotional wounds of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with or without a physical injury, are devastating. The Israeli Ministry of Defense estimates that 15% of combat soldiers will suffer from acute PTSD, while another 30% will experience a mild form. For those with physical injuries, the estimates rise to a devastating 25%. Anticipating these debilitating needs, FIDF has brought together the IDF, the medical and academic communities, and the Ministry of Defense to proactively attack this inevitable crisis by providing all-encompassing solutions for active-duty soldiers and veterans. FIDF’s vision of support is four-fold:

1. BUILDING RESILIENCE FIDF is funding a Research and Development Center dedicated to resilience, mental health, and trauma research. In addition, the resilience model involves the creation of a Commander Training Center where IDF combat commanders can receive theoretical and practical training on how to prevent and address PTSD in their units. A simulation center will be tailored for them to model and investigate situations pre- and post-military operations.

2. EARLY DETECTION & PREVENTION Through the Soldier Recharge program, FIDF supporters can sponsor entire units of IDF combat soldiers’ screening and support for early warning signs of trauma. The program allows soldiers to recharge and recuperate from combat at a retreat center away from their crushingly stressful day-to-day operational duties. Through group therapy, mental health professionals screen for early warning signs of distress and promptly address them as needed. In addition to its focus on mental health, the program boosts morale and strengthens bonds among soldiers, fostering a deeper sense of mission. The IDF has requested $6.5M per year for three years for this critical initiative for 26 combat battalions consisting of 890 soldiers for a total of nearly 23,000 soldiers on the front lines to participate.

3. MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR ACTIVE-DUTY SOLDIERS FIDF supporters can help finance the construction of a facility for vital therapy for traumatized, active-duty soldiers in need of help during their service. The IDF National Center for Mental Health and Resilience in Netanya will be a dedicated facility for soldiers. It will also house the Research and Development Center and Commander Training Center. The project requires renovating an existing facility for $35M, and an additional $3M-$4M annually is needed to run the support programs in temporary facilities while construction is taking place.

4. MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR VETERANS FIDF is partnering with the Sheba Medical Center and the IDF Disabled Veterans Organization in a nationwide initiative to provide comprehensive mental health services to discharged soldiers, veterans, and their families. FIDF will bolster Sheba Medical Center’s mental health care capacity by 50% and will establish a trauma treatment network with locations across the country, including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Be’er Sheva, Ashdod, Haifa, and Naharia. This vision ensures that veterans, regardless of their location, have access to Sheba’s world-renowned psychological care services provided by a cadre of mental health professionals trained by Sheba’s Dr. Michael Polliak, and mentored on an ongoing basis. The cost of this initiative is $24M