Army South religious affairs team leads traumatic event management training following Jet Set nightclub roof collapse

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – In the wake of the deadly Jet Set nightclub rooftop collapse in Santo Domingo, which claimed over 250 lives and left countless emotionally shaken, U.S. Army South (USARSOUTH) partnered with the Dominican Republic Minister of Defense to provide Traumatic Event Management (TEM) training to the Dominican Republic army, here, on May 20 and 22.

Dominican soldiers assigned to 1st Infantry Brigade, 3rd Infantry Brigade, and the Humanitarian and Rescue Unit (UHR), worked tirelessly to reach those trapped beneath the collapsed structure, some using their bare hands to claw through twisted steel and rubble.

While they fought to save lives, they were also silently absorbing the trauma of what they witnessed.

“Seeing our country, our own people in that type of situation, it affects us emotionally,” said Dominican army Cpt. Jose H. Cuevas Varguez with the UHR. “Even though we were doing our job, we were also carrying the weight of everything we saw. That kind of pain doesn’t just disappear.”

Recognizing the invisible wounds left behind, USARSOUTH religious affairs team acted swiftly to support its long-time regional partner.

“In this profession where we are with people in their highest and lowest moments,” said Chaplain (Col.) Kevin Forrester, USARSOUTH command chaplain, “We experience through the people we serve. That shared suffering creates a bond and healing must follow.”

On May 20, the USARSOUTH religious affairs team led a training session for the Dominican army chief of chaplains, seven deacons, two pastoral officers, and four chaplain assistants, offering techniques in crisis response, peer support, and spiritual resilience using the seven-phase TEM model.

“We don’t just train chaplains to respond,” said Sgt. Maj. Winston Rhym, USARSOUTH chief religious affairs noncommissioned officer (NCO). “We train everyone to lead through trauma, to be a steady presence when everything else feels unstable.”

Through interactive role-play, scenario-based learning, and shared reflection, the Dominican leaders learned how to walk alongside their soldiers in moments of crisis, not just in this event, but in any future emergency.

“We want them to be able to learn, practice, and perform the model,” added Forrester. “The teaching is designed to normalize what they’re feeling and empower them to guide others through recovery.”

As the group sessions unfolded on May 22, a powerful dynamic emerged where rank no longer separated people, and shared experience united them.

“You could feel the weight in the room, the grief, exhaustion, unanswered questions,” said Staff Sgt. Hendryx Cotto, USARSOUTH Religious Affairs Operations NCO. “But as we listened, shared, and supported each other, that weight started to lift. It wasn’t about rank or nationality; it was about people helping people find their way back to peace.”

The groups were seated in circles, a deliberate choice meant to create an environment of equality, presence, and mutual respect. In those circles, a space of trust was formed.

“We took our time,” siad Cpl. Santo S. Martínez Lantigua, a Dominican army pastoral officer. “One of the leaders of our group was a lieutenant, and he spoke openly. That gave the privates confidence. They felt safe. They felt comfort.”

Leaders throughout the groups led not with authority, but with vulnerability, modeling the kind of openness they hoped to see in their soldiers.

“It was very interesting to see how they've been evolving since that crisis,” said Dominican army deacon, 2nd Lt. Juan Domingo Bocio Cabral. “Little by little, they started to open up. At the end of the session, they were thankful for the support and the dialog.”

The training wasn’t just about personal healing; it was about learning how to help others heal too.

“We didn’t just give them tools to cope with their own trauma,” said 2nd Lt. Pedro E. Mateo Sepúlveda, a Dominican army deacon. “We equipped them with tools to go out and be teachers themselves.”

Sepúlveda described the emotional shift he witnessed in the room as one of hope and transformation.

“You could feel the support was real. They felt it,” he continued. “They listened, they opened up, and by the end, they weren’t just receiving, they were learning how to teach others. That’s the power of this kind of work.”

Events like this TEM training reflect more than readiness. They reflect trust, commitment, and shared values.

“The presence of the U.S. Army means that we have a partner we can count on,” said Maj. Alexis Devers Reyes, chief of chaplains for the Dominican army. “They didn’t just bring knowledge. They brought compassion, and they reminded our soldiers that we’re not in this alone.”

For decades, the U.S. and Dominican Republic have stood side by side in defense, disaster relief, and humanitarian response. But it’s moments like this when tragedy strikes and healing is needed, that true partnerships are tested and proven.

“The support from the U.S. Army in our time of sorrow has reminded us that true friendship is measured not only in strategy, but in compassion,” said Devers. “Their presence brought hope, their words brought peace for the troubled heart , and their partnership brought trust and new skills to care for people, not only soldiers.”

The U.S. continues to be the partner of choice in the region, not only for its military capabilities but for its enduring commitment to people, especially in moments of crisis.

“This is what trusted allies do,” Rhym said. “We show up. We help carry the burden. And we make sure our partners know that their pain is seen, and their recovery matters.”