A Veteran’s Mission to Redefine Healing for Warriors and First Responders : Jupiter Area Chairty Focus
Written by Lori Griffith
U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran Anthony Longo recognized a critical gap in the way mental health and reintegration services were being delivered to veterans and first responders.
Anthony Longo founded the Warriors Choice Foundation to provide wellness programs for transitioning military veterans and first responders.
Having experienced firsthand the limitations of the "one-size-fits-all" model, he was determined to create something better, tailored to the unique needs of those who serve on the front lines.
Longo served multiple combat deployments in Fallujah, Iraq, as an infantry communications specialist. His commitment to protecting others extended beyond the battlefield, leading him to serve as a tactical medic for the State Department, where he conducted diplomatic security operations in Afghanistan. For his heroic actions during an insurgent attack on a U.S. compound, resulting in a mass casualty incident, he was awarded the Department of State’s Medal of Heroism.
In 2016, Longo founded the Warriors Choice Foundation to provide customized, holistic wellness programs for transitioning military combat veterans and first responders. The foundation also introduced the highly regarded Focused Cognitive K9 Rehabilitation Program, a revolutionary initiative grounded in Longo’s passion and expertise in canine training. He spent years immersing himself in the field, traveling worldwide to study under top trainers.
To date, the foundation has placed more than 46 highly trained service dogs with veterans and first responders, including elite units such as Navy SEALs, MARSOC, PJs, and Green Berets. These dogs are more than companions; they are therapeutic partners trained to support neurocognitive regulation, proprioception, and emotional grounding. In 2024, Warriors Choice made history by delivering the first service K9 to the U.S. Space Force. Warriors Choice doesn’t stop at service animals. The organization has hosted over 35 therapeutic retreats, supported veterans in obtaining supplemental benefits, and partnered with medical professionals offering innovative, non-traditional treatments. Their offerings include: comprehensive phlebotomy-based testing (including Lyme disease, heavy metals, tumor markers, metabolic indices, and cardiac panels); chelation therapy, stem cell treatments, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and extracorporeal blood oxygenation and ozonation (EBOO).
The foundation also collaborates with educational institutions and supports capstone students pursuing careers in veteran-focused healthcare. “We created Warriors Choice Foundation to eliminate the guesswork, red tape, and impersonal care that so many face when seeking help,” said Longo. “We chose to act with intention—because healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. Those who have served deserve more than survival. They deserve purpose, support, and the ability to choose their own path forward.”
Longo sees the foundation not just as a resource, but as a movement:
“We exist for those who have sacrificed their peace for the safety of others and now seek a life where healing is possible. Most people live in a world that allows them to turn a blind eye to what veterans and first responders have endured. We stand in that gap, offering light where others see only silence.”
To learn more or support their mission, visit warriorschoice.org.
