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First of its Kind Sober Home for Veterans Opens in Winnebago

June 03, 2025 Kari Brolsma

(Winnebago, Mn.)– 22, 30 thousand, 90 and 0. 22 veterans commit suicide every day, 30 thousand Veterans are coming out of treatment facilities every month, and 90% of that 30 thousand are estimated to have PTSD. The number 0 has now changed to 1. They call it Bravo Zulu House. This home is the first sober home of its kind to exclusively serve male veterans who suffer from addiction and PTSD. US Army retired General, and Bravo Zulu House board member, Joseph Votel  is proud to be a part of this project…

“I’m very very proud to be a part of Bravo Zulu house and I think it just speaks so highly to the values of the communiity here that they got behind this effort, a first of its kind effort, and help make it a reality and we’re very very close to that point now. Very very proud to be a Minnesotan, very very proud to be here today.”

Jack Zimmerman, who served in Afghanistan and was wounded in an ambush in 2011 while serving with the 101st Airborne Division, says this house helps to narrow the gap in Veteran care…

“Its an extremely historic day. In modern war era there’s nothing else like it. I think its known now that Veteran suicide and PTSD is a major problem. We obviously know that’s compounded with substance abuse and we have the resources to go address those problems but then what do you do after that and that’s exactly that this gap that’s there, this fills its. Its incredibly needed and I think you’re going to see this go sweeping across the country.”

Each Veteran will be paired with a therapy dog to help them with their recovery. There will also be a hydroponic farming operation to provide year-round therapeutic activity and to promote sustainable living. Leaders of this project expect to start serving residents this summer and should be at full capacity by this fall. They also plan to open a home just like this for women veterans. If you would like to learn more about this project you can go to bravozuluhouse.org

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