ABOVE: From left: Jerome Fehn, Cory Germain, Glen Bloomstom, Gene Borchardt (represented by son Mark Borchardt) and Thomas Solhjem are recognized with “Distinguished Lifetime of Service” awards for their work as chaplains. Submitted photo.

FAIRMONT – Two Fairmont chaplains were honored with “Distinguished Lifetime of Service” awards as part of a five-man group at a Bravo Zulu House banquet.

Cory Germain and the late Gene Borchardt were celebrated alongside Jerome Fehn, Glen Bloomstom and Thomas Solhjem at an event hosted by Bravo Zulu’s parent organization Trinity Sober Homes.

Germain has been in the military for 29 years, having been a Chaplain with the Army and with the Air Force since 2008

“[I] worked with military members in a lot of different situations,” he said. “Unfortunately, many of them, as Bravo Zulu House is hoping to work with, have found dealing with issues of PTSD by using drugs and alcohol.”

The connection between Germain and Borchardt goes back. Borchardt was giving the reins to Germain as Chaplain of the American Legion Post 36 when Borchardt caught COVID and died March 27, 2020, at the age of 88.

“One of the bigger honors was to be there with his family as he was recognized for his work,” Germain said. “His whole family was present there and recognized, his son received the plaque on his behalf. It was neat to say we’re still carrying on that mission Gene [Borchardt] was such a part of.”

Being recognized for his work was something Germain said felt special.

“The field of ministry and chaplaincy is not something a person gets into for fame and fortune,” he said. “We do it to help serve others and see them achieve the best in their lives. To be honored for that, to pause and think I have been working in chaplaincy as long as I have helped me stop and think of how much connection that I have to our military and the work of ministry.”

Gene Borchardt’s son, Rick Borchardt, said his father was an active member of the community, serving on the American Legion, church council and genealogy society. He also conducted over 500 military funerals. Rick Borchardt said his father’s posthumously receiving the award meant a lot to his family.

“We were already proud of him, and this made us even prouder,” he said. “That the state would want to recognize him and the Fairmont American Legion wanted him to be recognized.”

Bravo Zulu House Executive Director Tim Murray said the recognition of chaplains represents a bridge from old to new.

“The clear connection is in recovery from drugs and alcohol, the need to pivot from being self-centered to other-centered and God-centered,” he said. “Since [this is] the message we will be giving in the Bravo Zulu House, there’s no better example of military people who have embraced being other and god-centered than military chaplains, regardless of denomination.”

From there, a widespread note asking for nominations was sent out and five were selected. Murray said the Bravo Zulu House project has grown greatly since it started. At their first banquet 13 years ago, only five people attended. This year, it was 275, which Murray said was spectacular.

As for the future of Bravo Zulu House, they have raised $1 million of the $1.3 million needed to make the house a reality. Murray said the future is bright for Bravo Zulu House, but only because the problem is so big.

“Normally when you talk about potential growth, you talk in exciting terms. We are excited to the extent that we can save veterans’ lives. Since the 9/11 attacks, we’ve lost about 7,500 veterans in combat. That’s a tragic thing and all of those losses we mourn. In that same period, we’ve lost 120,000 veterans to suicide. We’ve decided to step up and do something about it, we have to get this right.”

A dinner to raise funds for the house is being hosted by the Fairmont Knights of Columbus Tuesday, October 29 from 5 to7. For more information about the event and the house, visit https://bravozuluhouse.org/fairmont-knights-dinner-2024.