Welcome
Dear Friends of the National Center for Healthy Veterans at Valor Farm,
As with so many of you, we recently and reverently observed Memorial Day 2026. Several of our NCHV staff spoke at regional Memorial Day commemorations. It was a bittersweet day to mourn our Fallen Veterans in many ways, but also a day to honor that such men and women of service and valor sacrificed for each of us. While Memorial Day honors our Fallen Veterans appropriately, our task at NCHV is to make every day a Memorial Day by leading and helping our Patriots “Return Healthy to America.”
This has been an exciting month on the Patriot front – a cohort of seven Veterans (our largest entering cohort yet) began their nine-month NCHV journey at Valor Farm. This new cohort came from 6 different states referred by Tunnel to Towers (2), a couple who heard about NCHV at a Texas fundraiser, a public defender’s office, a VA social worker, a local hospital, and a platform called Grok using AI no less. It is great to see that “AI” is now aware of our unique means to help “at-risk, Red-zone” Veterans.
Equally exciting this month were the course and overall program graduations. The short speeches from each graduate about what they are learning and how they are changing are priceless, amplifying “why we do what we do” at NCHV. The Plays of the Day and In The Media are powerful.
Here are some highlights from the National Center for Healthy Veterans this month:
- Plays of the Day – Patriot Graduation, Housewarming, Dallas Event, Ongoing Barn Construction
- Meet the Team – Jimmy Tracey: Lead Farmhand and Peer Mentor
- Diving Deeper – From Visiting to Volunteer: Shannon and Scott McNabb
- In The Media – Mercury One Video, Patriot Graduations
- Prayer Points – Join us in prayer as we continue to support and empower Veterans.
As many of you know, our Patriot population is the highest ever with rising financial requirements. Thanks to a number of you who have responded with recurring donations, as well as many who have given at recent fundraisers in Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida, California, and Virginia.
We are extremely grateful for your encouragement, your volunteerism, your gifts-in-kind, your financial donations, your referrals of Veterans in need, and your prayers.
Blessings and gratitude to each of you,
Robert F. Dees
Major General, U.S. Army, Retired
President and CEO, National Center for Healthy Veterans
YOUR encouragement and generosity
have made these amazing things happen at Valor Farm. We certainly welcome and need your further support on behalf of Returning Healthy Veterans to America!
Join our Healthy Veterans Community!
Plays of the Day
Patriot Graduation
This month marked the completion of another three-month cycle at Valor Farm, which means we had the honor of celebrating graduation for our Resilience God Style, Reboot, and overall program graduates. These graduations are always incredibly special as we get to witness the joy and pride on our Patriots’ faces as they reflect on how far they have come.
As part of graduation, each Patriot gives a speech sharing pieces of their journey and growth throughout the program. It is always powerful to watch their confidence develop over time as they grow not only in healing, but also in leadership and communication skills. For those graduating from the full program, this milestone marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter as they step into their next phase of life with renewed purpose and direction. See media highlights below to watch some of these speeches.
Housewarming
This month we were honored to welcome seven new at-risk Veterans to Valor Farm, our largest entering cohort ever. This also represents our largest overall Patriot population thus far.
This growth is an incredible blessing, but it also emphasizes the urgent need to continue raising funds for the homes in Village 3 so we can keep expanding our capacity as referrals continue to rise. The first few months of the program are often some of the most crucial as new Patriots learn the rhythms of the farm, settle into community, and begin their healing journey. We are honored to walk alongside them during these important first steps.
Dallas Event
This month also brought our 4th Annual “Returning Healthy Veterans to America” Friend Raiser in Dallas. We were grateful to once again host the event at The Hope Center, where we gathered with both familiar faces and new supporters to share updates about the mission and vision of NCHV.
Danny Griego provided an incredible evening of entertainment, and Lt. Col. Allen West delivered a powerful and inspiring message that deeply resonated with attendees. Events like these are always meaningful opportunities to strengthen relationships, grow awareness, and invite others into the life-changing work happening at Valor Farm.
Barn Construction
Progress on the new barn continues to move quickly, and we are thrilled to see the vision coming to life day by day. This month, crews completed the excavation, groundwork, and foundation, and several walls are already standing.
Watching this project take shape is a powerful reminder of the Lord’s faithfulness and the incredible support of those who continue to stand behind this mission. We are looking forward to celebrating together at the Barn Ribbon Cutting on September 25th and cannot wait to share more details in the coming months.
Meet The Team
Jimmy Tracey – Lead Farmhand
Farmhand Jimmy Tracey comes from Philadelphia, PA. He is second oldest of nine siblings and a father to three children. He has a background in Fire Fighting and EMS. On June 2, 2008 he joined the U.S. Navy where he served 9 1/2 years before being medically discharged in 2017 and remained in Virginia Beach, VA.
Jimmy struggled for the next several years physically, mentally and emotionally, financially and spiritually, and faced a botched suicide attempt. On March 30, 2021, Jimmy began his journey of sobriety and recovery after 22 years of Alcohol Abuse. He arrived at Valor Farm in May 2023 where he took part in the National Center for Healthy Veterans 9-month program with 4 other patriots in the 1st Valor Farm cohort.
After graduating from the program Jimmy stayed on with Valor Farm as the Lead Farm Hand and eventually became a Peer Mentor for other Patriots. In September of 2024 Jimmy enrolled into college for the fourth time and graduated on May 15th from Liberty University with a Bachelor of Science in Theology. He also met his lovely fiancée, Steph Vaughan on March 30, 2025. Additionally, Jimmy also recently made the decision to get baptized on March 30th at Valor Farm.
Today, Jimmy continues to dedicate his life to helping fellow Veterans and patriots find hope, purpose, and stability through mentorship, hard work, and faith. He believes recovery is not just about overcoming addiction but about rebuilding a meaningful life and serving others. Through Valor Farm, Jimmy hopes his story can encourage others who are struggling and show that lasting change is possible.
Jimmy’s motto today is “SERVITII ALIIS” meaning “Of Service to Others”
Diving Deeper
From Visitor to Volunteer –
Scott & Shannon McNab
Captivated by His Grace & Firepit Friends Campground Ministry
Our journey to the National Center for Healthy Veterans (NCHV) at Valor Farm began much like that of many guests. At a Hope for the Heart event, I heard Maj. Gen. Robert F. Dees, U.S. Army, Ret., share how NCHV became a place where veterans can find hope and healing from trauma and addiction. He called them “our nation’s untapped national treasures,” and it quickly became clear this was more than a recovery program. It was a mission to raise up resilient warriors. Through the Resilience God Style training, I came to understand the goal: to equip our nation’s greatest assets to face obstacles and be faster, stronger, and wiser than before.
They are meeting their objectives one heart, one mind, one life at a time!
A few months after hearing Dees speak and looking over the websites healthyveterans.org and resiliencegodstyle.com, my husband, Scott, and I visited Valor Farm. We were immediately impressed by the young man working the Healthy Veterans Market. Through conversation we found out he is a graduate of the program. He shared his experiences and how he has watched the Farm (and the NCHV team) grow and overcome obstacles during his tenure as a patriot and now as a staff member.
After spending a couple of days around Valor Farm, meeting and talking with many of the staff and local volunteers, we vowed to be back. Now, here we are, from Alabama to Virginia, from visitors to volunteers. The young man we met last year at the market? Still here, still smiling, still forward focused.
We had the honor of welcoming the newest cohort of patriots to Valor Farm. Each one is received with a housewarming, and the entire farm community encourages connection not just in word, but in action. Connecting them through group studies, support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and New Life Recovery, morning devotions, and coming together for meals.
While I have been preparing to walk with patriots through Resilience God Style (RGS) training, Scott is pulling on the muck boots and joining other Peer Mentors, showing the Patriots they are never alone in this process. The target of mentors is not to break backs but to lift burdens.
Sunrise to sunset, reveille to retreat, there is work happening. We can quickly see some of the work as Chris prepares breakfast and lunch in the Community Center of Village 1. He won’t leave for the day until he has ensured there is ample sustenance for the Patriots to grab dinner and snacks well into the evening. No one here goes hungry.
Bobby (Program Director) and Jake (Chief Operating Officer) will be covering ground throughout the day, touching base with each staff member, volunteers, peer mentors, and patriots. If you can’t find either of them, a call or text will get a quick response and bring you face to face with them. Like any NCHV team member, from the office to the barn, the garden to the woodshop, and all fields in between, work is happening. No matter how busy a team member may be, the work of their hands can always be interrupted if there is a question, concern, or cause to celebrate. This isn’t just a job to them; it’s a Divine appointment. Just like the work we see, there is a more subtle work happening. The work of the Holy Spirit is changing hearts and lives. Not just those of the patriots but everyone who works alongside them. Anyone with an ear to hear and a heart to heal will know that prayer happens here. Wherever you are standing, prayer has probably happened in that very spot. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if it has even happened near the pig pen; but, perhaps not nearly as often as at the stable during a session of equine therapy. Horses are just that good of listeners.
As we continue to get plugged into the activities with the new cohort, I think it is safe to say we will be supporting the work at Valor Farm for many more cohorts to come. By changing the trajectory of one Veteran’s life, we are partnering with God to create resilience in this generation and the generations to come after them. We are creating resilient individuals, resilient warriors, resilient families, and together, a more resilient nation.
Pressed – Not crushed.
Perplexed – Not despairing.
Knocked down – Not destroyed.
Never abandoned.
~2 Corinthians 4:8-9
Your turn – Go from interested to invested.
Hope to see you soon on Valor Farm!
In The Media
May Graduation
Gonzo Program Grad
Mercury One Video
Calendar
- Thursdays at 4:00 p.m. Scheduled Tourscontact@healthyveterans.org if interested.
- First Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. Community Campfire at Valor Farm
Come join us for fellowship!
- Open Arena @ Valor Farm – June 11th, June 25th 5PM
- Community Campfire @ Valor Farm – June 11th 7PM
- Volunteer Day @ Valor Farm – June 20th 9am Contact volunteer@healthyveterans.org for details
Prayer Points
- Pray for leadership in Washington D.C., and for national security at home and abroad.
- We pray for the families of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation.
- We give thanks for the visible and invisible signs of healing and restoration in the lives of our Veterans. May these transformations continue to blossom, a testament to Your love and the dedication of those who serve them. Amen.
- Without mentioning specifics, pray for the many Veterans and their families in our midst who have financial issues, health crises, relational dysfunction, and suffer from mental and emotional challenges. May God bring wellness to Veterans throughout the land. May we together, “Return Healthy Veterans to America”.
- Join us in praising God for the beauty of His Creation — horses, rivers, cattle, valleys, chickens, the fruit of the land, the beauty of the fields, the wonder of His Creation.
- Pray for safety and success of ongoing military operations, as well as comfort to the families whose loved ones have paid the ultimate sacrifice.
