The view from behind the sights of a gun-mounted Humvee, atop the surging bow of a warship, or beneath the thumping blades of an attack helicopter are graciously distant from the civilian eye. For those brave enough to look, their perspectives are invariably changed—shaped by duty, valor, and of course, untold sacrifice.
Much the same can be said of first responders and healthcare workers; meetings with gunshots, contagions, and columns of fire are all in a day’s work. Running late isn’t a matter of promotions and performance reports, but rather, life and death.
For those willing and able to meet catastrophe with composure, finding healthy outlets for stress—and perhaps even more importantly, a sense of community—is key to maintaining wellness.
To this end, a trio of area servicemen has hoisted an invitation beneath the Stars and Stripes—a familiar sight on U.S. Navy bases, and an affirming one at that: BRAVO ZULU, or, “Well Done.”
“In 2022 we founded the Bravo Zulu Adventure Group, really as an opportunity to honor those who serve others,” said cofounder Shaun Burdess, a veteran of the Marine Corps who’s counted four deployments over 12 years of service. “We honor first responders, veterans, healthcare workers, and their families through outdoor adventures and social events.”
While Burdess is known for his fiery enthusiasm, Nebraska National Guardsman and former Army Sniper and Gunner, David Munoz, takes a long view of the 501(c)(3)’s potential—even if some goals are presently out of range.
“We get very easily excitable, so managing expectations was probably our biggest hurdle [early on],” explained Munoz with a knowing grin. “My wife’s a nurse, and I’ve got healthcare worker and first responder friends […] so, I shot for the moon. I mean, I could promise: ‘We’ll take a ride on a rocket ship. I’ll make it happen somehow!’”
Despite being the youngest of Bravo Zulu’s cofounders, 26-year-old National Guard Infantryman and Parachute Rigger Dylan Andelt is, as Burdess and Munoz freely admit, the most grounded of the Group leaders, often serving as a mediator between the two.
“We challenge each other in different ways, and I think that makes us better as a group and as an organization,” Andelt said.
While each of Bravo Zulu’s cofounders take pride in their military backgrounds, it’s their shared passion for skydiving that ultimately generated lift for Bravo Zulu. With various instructor credentials between them, their most frequented jump-site is above Weeping Water, Nebraska, the hallowed grounds of the Lincoln Sport Parachute Club.
“That drop actually has a lot of history. It’s the longest continuous running drop zone in the U.S.,” Munoz noted. “The guy that started it is a Medal of Honor recipient. There’s not a corner in this world you can crawl to and not find a connection to Lincoln’s community.”
Organizing skydiving excursions is Bravo Zulu’s go-to for thrill-seeking participants. Though not explicitly focused on ‘adventure therapy,’ Burdess, Munoz, and Andelt gladly promote the 14,000 feet of headspace that forms between a Cessna 182 cockpit, the jolt of an unfurling canopy, and the fast approach of terra firma.
“When you are going skydiving, people are like, ‘Man, I’m going to jump off a plane this weekend,’ and it’s like you’re hyper-focused on that, which inadvertently takes you away from what you’re hyper-focused on the rest of the time,” Burdess said. “I mean, you’re literally being thrown out of a plane. And you can kick and scream, but if it’s tandem, we’re not going to hear you anyway. And the parachute is going to open, and you’re going to get down…but gravity is inevitable, and you want to stay focused.”
“When you get done with it, whatever you’re worried about kind of seems small at that point,” Andelt added.
Last year, Munoz discovered Elkhorn’s Bottles and Barrels, a novel liquor store boasting self-serve drafts and an extensive list of wines and spirits. He immediately observed a large, yawning field behind the shop and approached proprietor Jimmy Ellsworth with an idea: a raffle for a tandem skydive during the latter’s Oktoberfest celebration. Incidentally, cold feet stalled the winner a week later. With FAA regulations in mind, the Bravo Zulu crew had penciled Ellsworth in as a backup. He took the plunge, and they’ve been regular partners—and fast friends—ever since.
Still, among the memorable connections made since founding Bravo Zulu, one dive in particular resonates with Munoz and company.
“It’s veterans, healthcare workers, first responders, and their families,” Munoz emphasized. “We took a veteran’s daughter skydiving, and that was so powerful; he wasn’t doing the skydive [himself], but I’ve never seen a dad so proud to watch his daughter. I mean, when I say he told everybody…he’s still telling people. Every time I seem him, he’s like, ‘Can you believe that?’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, I was there!’”
Additionally, Bravo Zulu has dipped their toes into scuba-diving retreats, popular among those seeking a more soothing, meditative experience. The group has also leaned heavily into community-oriented philanthropy—including high-flying demos, Bourbon raffles, and ‘dine-to-donate’ fundraisers—with an emphasis on hyper-locality.
“One of the big pushes that we talked about […] was all of these big, huge nonprofits that are supposed to help communities, right? Folds of Honor raised $2 million two years ago, but they didn’t do anything for our local community. Sure, they’re doing great things for veterans [nationally],” Munoz conceded. “Wounded Warrior Project…they do a few things here. But what change is really affecting our community? We want to give back locally. So how are we going to do that?”
As far as nonprofits go, The Bravo Zulu Adventure Group is young. Burdess, however, provides an answer reflecting hard-won insight and decades of steeled camaraderie:
“Honestly, that’s why we created this,” he said. “It’s because people have given up time to serve other people. That’s why we’re honoring those who serve—it doesn’t matter how much money you have, it doesn’t matter how much ‘pull’ you have, whatever.
“It’s time that’s invaluable.”
For more information, visit bzag.org.
This article originally appeared in the May 2024 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
