The Montana Lottery and Montana Department of Veterans Affairs have tapped one of the nation's most famous soldiers to help raise $250,000 for a new lodging facility at Fort Harrison.

Beetle Bailey, the famed U.S. Army slacker who often enrages Sarge in the "beetle bailey" cartoon, will be used to help raise a hopeful $65,000 toward the new Liberty House. The house will provide overnight, low-cost lodging for families of seriously ill veterans who are inpatients at the Fort Harrison Medical Center.

"We have a goal of obtaining the money for the home by Veterans Day," said Joe Foster, director of the Montana VA. "What were hoping is to have the groundbreaking on Veterans Day."

Plans for the new Liberty House call for a 3,096-square-foot structure. The single-level facility will provide seven bedrooms and a common kitchen.

But raising the money will take time. Foster said the Montana Lottery is donating 1,800 museum-quality "Beetle Bailey" posters designed by cartoon artist Mort Walker. Walker will autograph 300 of the posters before they go on sale.

Proceeds from the poster sales will go toward building the facility. Walker has donated his work to other states and veterans organizations in the past as well.

"Walker is an absolute patriot," Foster said. "Over in Minnesota, they instituted the poster donation program and all the proceeds went to build a veterans memorial there."

The new home will eventually replace the current lodging facility. Built in 1890, the structure, with lead-based paint, is not handicap accessible or earthquake safe.

Because of the problems, the shelter was condemned and the Montana VA was told to close it by March 1.

"They're transitioning out of it," Foster said. "They need to find accommodation elsewhere."

But a lack of other facilities has kept the building open past the March 1 deadline. Renovating the structure would cost more than building a new one, he said.

Foster said the federal VA is prohibited from constructing the facility but will provide the land and assume all operational costs once the structure is opened.

Reporter Martin Kidston can be reached at 447-4086, or by mkidston@helenair.com.