How Access To Regenerative Therapy Can Help Injured Veterans

• Operation Rescue Health Will Be Funded By a $1B Initiative to Build a NextGen Care Campus for Veterans in Las Vegas, Nevada

Key Takeaways:

• One in ten veterans sustained serious injuries during service, with 75% occurring in combat situations, leading to significant healthcare needs.
• Over half of America's veterans (52%) with service-related injuries believe they haven't received adequate government support for their healthcare requirements.
• Specialized regenerative treatments like exosome therapy offer promising new approaches for veterans' complex injuries.
• Operation Rescue Health, a non-profit NextGen Care Campus for veterans planned by Veracor Group LLC and L1fe Organization, will fill critical gaps in veteran healthcare when VA services are insufficient.
• Rural veterans face particular challenges accessing quality healthcare, with 4.7 million veterans living in areas with limited medical resources.

When our service members transition to civilian life after sustaining combat injuries, they face a healthcare system that often struggles to meet their complex needs. Despite eligibility for VA benefits, many injured veterans encounter significant barriers to receiving timely, specialized care. Veracor Group LLC and L1fe Organization (pronounced One Life) have launched a $1 billion initiative, Operation Rescue Health, to bridge this critical gap by providing access to cutting-edge treatments designed for veterans with service-related injuries.

Half of America's Veterans Struggle to Access Their Promised Healthcare

The statistics reveal a concerning gap in veteran healthcare in America. While nearly 9 million veterans are enrolled in the VA’s healthcare program (Veterans Health Administration or VHA), approximately 16.5 million veterans who may be eligible for services remain unenrolled. This means millions of former service members are missing out on the healthcare benefits they’ve earned.

The consequences of this enrollment gap are particularly severe for veterans who sustained serious injuries during their service. According to comprehensive research, one in ten veterans suffered serious injuries while serving their country, and a staggering 75% of those injuries occurred during combat situations. These aren't just numbers – they represent real veterans struggling with chronic pain, mobility issues, traumatic brain injuries, and other life-altering conditions that require specialized care.

The Long-Term Impact of Service Injuries

Twice the Difficulty: Readjustment Challenges for Wounded Veterans

The journey home from military service is challenging for any veteran, but for those with serious service-related injuries, the difficulties are more than doubled. Research shows that injured veterans are more than twice as likely to experience significant problems readjusting to civilian life compared to their uninjured counterparts. This readjustment struggle encompasses everything from finding suitable employment to maintaining relationships and managing daily activities that were once routine.

Physical limitations often require significant lifestyle adjustments, specialized medical equipment, or home modifications. These practical challenges come with psychological burdens that can further complicate the transition to civilian life. Many injured veterans report feeling isolated, misunderstood, and ill-equipped to navigate civilian systems that weren't designed with their unique needs in mind.

Psychological Wounds: 3x Higher PTS Rates Among Injured Veterans

Beyond the physical scars, injured veterans carry a disproportionate psychological burden. Research reveals they are nearly three times more likely to develop post-traumatic stress (PTS) compared to veterans who weren't physically injured. This creates a compounding effect where both physical pain and psychological distress must be managed simultaneously, often with treatment approaches that don't adequately address this complex interplay.

For many, the symptoms of PTS—including flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the traumatic event—create additional barriers to accessing care. Veterans experiencing these symptoms may struggle with tasks like scheduling appointments, traveling to medical facilities, or even articulating their needs to healthcare providers who may not be adequately trained in military trauma.

52% of Injured Veterans Report Inadequate Government Support

Despite promises made to those who serve, the majority of injured veterans feel abandoned by the systems designed to support them. A sobering 52% of veterans with serious service-related injuries report that the government has not provided them with the level of assistance they believe they deserve. This represents a profound breach of trust with those who sacrificed their physical well-being in service to their country.

This perception isn't merely subjective dissatisfaction—it reflects real gaps in care delivery, coordination, and accessibility. From prolonged wait times for appointments to difficulties managing the complex bureaucracy of the VA healthcare system, injured veterans face numerous practical obstacles to receiving timely, effective care.

Cascading Effects: Reduced Employment and Long-Term Health Outcomes

The ripple effects of service-related injuries extend far beyond immediate medical concerns. Injured veterans are significantly less likely to secure and maintain full-time employment than their uninjured peers. This employment gap creates financial strain that can further limit access to supplemental healthcare options and compromise overall quality of life.

Long-term health trajectories also differ markedly between injured and uninjured veterans. Those with service-related injuries report poorer overall health status and more rapid health decline as they age. Without appropriate intervention and ongoing support, these disparities only widen over time, creating a growing healthcare crisis for an aging veteran population.

Major Barriers Blocking Healthcare Access

Navigation Complexity: Why 16.5 Million Veterans Remain Unenrolled

The VA healthcare system presents a labyrinthine challenge even for those without injuries or cognitive impairments. For injured veterans, especially those with traumatic brain injuries or PTS, managing this complex system can be overwhelming to the point of deterring enrollment altogether.

The enrollment process involves multiple steps, extensive documentation requirements, and often lengthy processing times. Veterans must prove service connection for their injuries. This process can be emotionally taxing and logistically challenging, particularly when records are incomplete or military experiences are difficult to articulate in clinical terms.

The Wait Time Crisis: Hidden Delays and Data Manipulation

For those who successfully enroll, the next hurdle often involves waiting for care. Despite reforms addressing the wait time scandal that came to light in 2014, veterans continue to face extended delays for appointments. More troubling is evidence suggesting that actual wait times may be systematically underreported, with veterans experiencing delays significantly longer than officially acknowledged.

These waits are not merely inconvenient—for veterans with progressive conditions or acute pain, extended delays can lead to irreversible deterioration, increased suffering, and diminished treatment effectiveness when care is finally received. For mental health concerns, timely intervention is particularly crucial, yet mental health appointments often have some of the longest wait times in the system.

Rural Healthcare Deserts: 4.7 Million Veterans Left Behind

The geographical distribution of VA facilities creates profound inequities for the 4.7 million veterans living in rural areas. These veterans face not only longer travel distances to reach VA facilities but also a reduced range of services at the facilities within reach. Rural VA clinics typically offer more limited specialty care options, forcing veterans to choose between traveling great distances for specialized treatment or going without.

For injured veterans with mobility limitations, transportation to distant medical facilities presents an additional barrier that may be insurmountable without assistance. Public transportation options are often limited in rural areas, and specialized transportation services are inconsistently available. Rural veterans also face heightened challenges finding community providers who accept VA referrals or have experience treating military-specific conditions.

Mental Health Support Failures

Less Than Half of Veterans in Need Receive Any Treatment

Perhaps nowhere is the gap between need and access more pronounced than in mental health care. Despite heightened awareness of military mental health challenges, less than half of veterans requiring mental health services receive any treatment at all. This treatment gap is particularly alarming given the elevated suicide risk among the veteran population, especially those with combat-related injuries.

Barriers to mental health care include not only practical obstacles like provider shortages and appointment availability, but also persistent stigma that may discourage veterans from seeking help. Many veterans report concerns about how seeking mental health treatment might affect their careers, relationships, or self-perception, creating additional resistance to engaging with available services.

Evidence-Based Care Gap: Only One-Third Get Proper Support

Even among those who do access mental health services, only about one-third receive evidence-based care that meets clinical best practice standards. This means that even after overcoming the numerous barriers to initiating treatment, most veterans do not receive interventions with the strongest research support for their specific conditions.

This quality gap stems from multiple factors, including provider training limitations, insufficient implementation of standardized protocols, and resource constraints that limit the duration or intensity of treatment. The result is that many veterans cycle through interventions that are unlikely to significantly improve their condition, leading to treatment fatigue and diminished faith in the possibility of recovery.

How Non-Profit Medical Centers Can Transform Veteran Care

Filling Critical Gaps in VA Healthcare Coverage

In response to these systemic challenges, Kenton Gray, CEO at Veracor Group LLC and B. Taylor, recording artist with six #1 hits on Sony Records, a Global Ambassador to the U.S. Military, and Founder of the L1FE Organization have come together to launch a $1B initiative, Operation Rescue Health, to provide no-cost, innovative healthcare for veterans—covering treatment and recovery, through the establishment of a next-generation healthcare campus in Las Vegas, NV. 

Specialized Treatment Programs for Combat-Related Injuries

One of the most significant contributions of Operation Rescue Health is its development of specialized treatment programs specifically tailored to combat-related injuries. These programs recognize the unique characteristics of battlefield trauma, including the complex interplay between physical injuries, environmental exposures, and psychological trauma that often characterizes service-related health conditions.

Innovative treatments like exosome therapy represent advanced, specialized approaches. Exosomes—tiny vesicles released by cells that play crucial roles in cellular communication—are being studied for their regenerative potential across multiple applications relevant to combat injuries. From promoting neural tissue repair in traumatic brain injuries to reducing inflammation in chronic pain conditions, exosome therapy offers promising possibilities for addressing previously treatment-resistant conditions common among combat veterans.

These specialized programs take a comprehensive approach that addresses the full spectrum of a veteran's needs rather than treating isolated symptoms. By integrating physical rehabilitation, pain management, psychological support, and advanced regenerative therapies, they provide a model of care that acknowledges the interconnected nature of combat injuries.

Community-Based Approaches to Veteran Wellness

Beyond clinical innovations, Operation Rescue Health is pioneering community-based approaches to veteran wellness that recognize the importance of social connection and purpose in the healing process. These centers will function as community hubs where veterans can connect with peers who share similar experiences, reducing the isolation that frequently accompanies both physical injury and transition from military service.

The goal is to incorporate peer support specialists—veterans who have successfully managed their health challenges and can provide practical guidance and emotional support to others on similar journeys. This peer-to-peer model builds on the unique culture and camaraderie of military service to create healing environments where veterans feel understood and respected.

Community-based programs will extend beyond traditional medical care to address social determinants of health, including employment support, housing assistance, and family services. This holistic approach recognizes that successful recovery from combat injuries requires stability in all aspects of life, not just medical intervention.

Policy Recommendations for Immediate Action

1. Effective Implementation of the Mission Act Standards

While the Mission Act represents a significant policy step toward improving veteran healthcare access, its promise remains unfulfilled mainly due to implementation challenges. Strengthening accountability measures for VA facilities regarding access standards would help ensure veterans can receive community care when VA facilities cannot provide timely appointments.

Specifically, implementation should prioritize transparent reporting of actual wait times, measured from the veteran's initial request for care rather than administrative processing dates. Standards should also account for the additional challenges faced by veterans with mobility limitations or those living in rural areas when determining distance-based access criteria.

2. Expanded Community Care Access for Rural Veterans

Addressing the needs of the 4.7 million rural veterans requires policies that specifically target geographic healthcare disparities. Expanding telehealth infrastructure, including broadband internet access in rural areas, would allow more veterans to access care remotely. For services requiring in-person treatment, transportation assistance programs and mobile health units could help bridge geographical gaps.

Policy changes should also streamline the process for rural community providers to become approved VA community care providers, increasing the local options available to veterans who cannot reasonably travel to distant VA facilities. Special emphasis should be placed on recruiting providers with expertise in conditions common among veterans, including traumatic brain injury, PTS, and complex musculoskeletal injuries.

3. Streamlined Enrollment Processes for New Veterans

Reducing barriers to VA enrollment would help address the concerning statistic that only about half of eligible veterans are currently enrolled in VA healthcare. Automatic enrollment systems that transition service members directly into VA care upon separation from military service could significantly increase participation rates and ensure continuity of care during this vulnerable transition period.

Streamlining documentation requirements and providing personalized navigation assistance would further reduce enrollment barriers, particularly for veterans with cognitive impairments, limited technological access, or those experiencing symptoms of PTS that make complex administrative tasks especially challenging.

4. Mental Health Treatment Prioritization and Access Reform

Addressing the mental health treatment gap requires both increased capacity and reformed access pathways. Same-day access to initial mental health assessments should be available at all VA facilities, with clear pathways to evidence-based treatments following initial evaluation. Mental health staffing should be increased to meet actual demand rather than historical utilization patterns that may reflect access barriers rather than true need.

Special attention should be paid to increasing the availability of evidence-based psychotherapies for PTS and related conditions, ensuring that all veterans have access to treatments with the strongest research support. Integration of mental health services into primary care settings would reduce stigma and create multiple entry points for veterans to access needed services.

5. Increased Accountability for Wait Time Reporting

Resolving the persistent issue of wait time manipulation requires robust, independent oversight of appointment scheduling and reporting practices. Standardized measurement approaches that reflect the veteran's experience rather than administrative convenience would provide more accurate assessments of actual wait times. Regular audits by independent entities would help ensure compliance with reporting standards.

Public transparency around wait time data, reported in consistent formats that allow for meaningful comparison across facilities and over time, would create accountability pressure for improvement. Performance metrics for VA leadership should explicitly include access measures to align incentives with improved veteran care access.

Bridging the Gap: The Vital Role of NextGen Care for Veterans

While policy reforms are essential for systemic improvement, non-profit NextGen Care is crucial in addressing existing gaps and demonstrating innovative models that may eventually inform broader system change. The Operation Rescue Health $1 billion initiative to build a NextGen Care campus fr Veterans in Las Vegas, Nevada, will be uniquely positioned to respond rapidly to emerging needs, test new treatment approaches, and provide personalized care that acknowledges each veteran's unique circumstances.

The flexibility of this model allows for customized approaches that may not be feasible within larger systems. For veterans with complex combat injuries, personalized care can make the difference between continued suffering and meaningful recovery. The Operation Rescue Health, modeled after St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, will address both the visible and invisible wounds of war. The initiative ensures that veterans receive the opportunity to experience complete care.

Operation Rescue Health offers the most promising path forward, rebuilding veteran care to restore and correct function, addressing root causes rather than just managing symptoms.

The wounds of war should never be compounded by inadequate care upon return home. Through coordinated policy reform and support for innovative care models, we can create a healthcare system truly worthy of those who have served our nation. The men and women who sacrificed their physical and mental well-being in service deserve nothing less than our fullest commitment to their complete recovery and lasting wellness.

Visit Veracor Group LLC's Operation Rescue Health platform to learn more about how their non-profit medical centers are pioneering innovative treatments like exosome therapy specifically designed to serve injured veterans who have sacrificed for our country.