WINNEBAGO — Instead of just thanking veterans for their service, Bravo Zulu House sends the message of welcoming them home to a place where they can address challenges.
During the grand opening of the first all-military sober living facility dedicated specifically to serving veterans with PTSD, veteran Mike Gilligan told the audience the phrase “Thank you for your service” is used too often and sometimes abused when talking to veterans.
“There’s two words instead of the five words, ‘Thank you for your service’ that will light a veteran’s eyes, especially the ones that are clouded with PTSD,” Gilligan said. “Those words are ‘Welcome home.’”
Tucked away in Winnebago and surrounded by fields, the facility aims to address the mental health challenges contributing to veteran suicide. Its grand opening was celebrated on Wednesday and will be checking veterans in by mid-June.
As a member of the board of directors, Tim Murray spearheaded the initiative after recognizing a critical gap in veteran care. The facility represents a holistic approach to addressing the challenges faced by veterans returning from service. Murray is also a board member and CEO of Trinity Sober Homes, a St. Paul nonprofit providing shelter and recovery to men who struggle with alcoholism.
“I have the privilege of serving as your leader of this small but mighty organization dedicated to the war on PTSD,” he said.
Retired Gen. Joseph Votel, a board member of the project, said the need for such specialized support is urgent and noted that veterans with substance abuse disorders face significantly higher suicide rates compared to the general population.
Ground broke on the house in September 2024 and the facility is built around an integrated care model intended to support sobriety, physical and mental health and spiritual development. At capacity, the home has 12 beds. Services include counseling and trauma-informed care, structured fitness programs, canine therapy and hydroponic gardening. On the property sits not only the house with 12 separate bedrooms, but also a warehouse that will eventually house the gym and the hydroponic garden.
Supported by a coalition of partners, including the Mayo Clinic Health System and Housing First Minnesota, the house integrated behavioral health services tailored specifically to veterans’ needs. Sofia Humphries from Housing First Minnesota emphasized the importance of providing a dedicated space for veterans to recover and rebuild their lives.
“We knew we had to be a part of this. This wasn’t just shelter. This was innovation. This was purpose. This was a place where veterans come to rediscover themselves,” Humphries said.
An average of 22 veterans die by suicide daily, about 30,000 veterans exit inpatient facilities each month and an estimated 90% of these individuals experience PTSD, according to the Bravo Zulu House website.
Other key supporters include veterans Jack Zimmerman, Steve Chase, Gilligan and others who champion the project. Zimmerman is a Purple Heart recipient and advisory board chair. He said many lives have been lost unnecessarily because there wasn’t proper support.
“With places like this, guys have a place to heal. We have community. That’s where guys can heal,” he said. “As long as I have air in my lungs, I’ll be here to make sure that these houses are here to stay, and there’s more of them.”
Bravo Zulu originates from a naval signal meaning “well done.” The project emerged from grassroots community efforts, with funding primarily sourced from local businesses, individual donors and veteran support, who raised $1.3 million collectively. The facility represents a model that could potentially be replicated across the state and nation, Votel said.
Murray said the house stands as a testament to community-driven solutions in veteran care, offering hope and healing to those who have sacrificed for their country. He said Gov. Tim Walz proclaimed May 28 as “Bravo Zulu House Day” and the proclamation itself reads it is a “beacon of hope for veterans nationwide.”
Votel said future plans include developing a specialized facility for female veterans, who face a 75% higher suicide rates due to military sexual trauma. The organization is seeking to raise $1.25 million to fund lift and wheelchair-accessible rooms, dog kennels for the therapy program and the hydroponic farming system.
The grand opening coincided with Memorial Day week and featured a proclamation from Sen. Amy Klobuchar, read by her outreach director Chuck Ackman, as well as speeches from 1st District Congressman Brad Finstad and Mayors Jean Anderson and Lee Baarts, from Winnebago and Fairmont respectively.
To contact representatives at Bravo Zulu House or to donate, visit bravozuluhouse.org/donate.