SOTERIA Cancer Hunt™ Initiative

Precision in Combat, Precision in Cancer Care

Our United States Special Operations Forces (SOF) share a spirit of service and commitment to this country. But because they endure unique environmental, physical, and psychological stressors, they also share a disproportionate risk of early-onset, aggressive cancers. Lack of access to personalized care and genomic profiling - a diagnostic tool proven to reduce misdiagnoses and improve outcomes - means SOF patients often don’t have a fighting chance.

Over the past two decades, Special Operations Forces (SOF) have led from the front in every major conflict. Today, a new enemy is targeting them from within: cancer.

They Deserve Better

Since September 11, 2001, more than 525,000 active duty service members from all branches and all roles have been diagnosed with cancer during their time in uniform. Out of 4.3 million service members, that’s a 1 in 7 occurrence. These are not retirees or aging veterans—they are men and women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, all still in uniform at the time of diagnosis, many battling late-stage, aggressive disease. 

We don’t yet know how many veterans have developed cancer in the same period or after. That gap in visibility is part of the problem. From Vietnam (Agent Orange) to Gulf War Illness (sarin gas) to the 9/11 responder crisis, we’ve seen this pattern before: toxic exposures, delayed action, preventable deaths. It’s happening again—with the Post-9/11 military generation.

SOTERIA is uniquely positioned to address this travesty by elevating cancer care for these elite warriors. We launched a Precision Medicine Navigation Program to provide leading-edge genomic testing, personalized care, and precision navigation specifically for SOF patients.

Who is considered SOF for this initiative and who else is eligible?

Special Operations Forces (SOF) are trained to break trail and breach barriers—often the first in and the last out. They continue to lead the way in the cancer fight. The SOTERIA Cancer in SOF Initiative exists to support these warriors and the broader military community affected by cancer. We use an inclusive, mission-aligned definition of Special Operations Forces (SOF), recognizing that modern warfare relies on an integrated team of operators, enablers, and interagency partners. This includes:

  • Combat Operators: Army Rangers, Special Forces (Green Berets), SEALs, SWCCs (Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen), Marine Raiders, Air Force Combat Controllers, Pararescuemen (PJs), and TACPs. 

  • Combat Aviation & Aircrew: Army and Air Force pilots and crew supporting SOF missions under high-risk conditions. 

  • Combat Service Personnel: Army PSYOPS, Civil Affairs, Navy Seabees, operational intelligence, and Special Operations communicators. 

  • Combat Service Support & Enablers: Administration, logistics, medical, human intelligence, geospatial analysis, maintenance, and targeting professionals who directly enable SOF missions. 

  • Interagency Partners: CIA officers, FBI agents, and others who routinely deploy alongside SOF units.

While SOF is the tip of the spear, this initiative is not limited to them. Our mission is to serve all veterans confronting cancer—no matter their military specialty. Any U.S. military veteran with cancer is eligible for support. SOF is where we start, not where we stop.

The SOTERIA Precision Pathway

  • Educate service members, veterans, and families about cancer risk due to military exposure.

  • Proactive identification of high-risk individuals before symptoms.

  • Enroll individuals into the support system, consolidate medical records, and assign care navigation.

  • Confirm cancer presence, type, and stage using best-in-class diagnostics.

  • Navigate care, remove barriers, and support quality of life throughout treatments.

  • Support veterans receiving the right treatment at the right time.

  • Use veteran experience to fuel insights, treatments, and change.

  • Honor fighters, elevate survivor voices, and drive systemic change.

Organization Partners

We collaborate with reputable SOF and military charities to reach those who need help most, including but not limited to:

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