Welcome to The F.O.B. (Forward Operating Base)

The map below provides an overview of The F.O.B. (Forward Operating Base), a veteran-led wellness, recovery, training, and community support center located in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Designed around a “one roof” model, The F.O.B. brings multiple support services, activities, and resources together under a single facility to reduce barriers and increase engagement for veterans and their families.

Training & Fitness Areas

• Open training mat area for boxing, self-defense, fitness classes, wellness activities, and group events.
• Dedicated weight room focused on strength, conditioning, and physical wellness.
• Men’s and Women’s locker rooms.

Recovery & Community Spaces

• Gaming Lounge for recreation, peer connection, and social engagement.
• Large mixed-use community space for meetings, workshops, support groups, events, and outreach activities.
• Classroom for training, education, workforce development, and community programming.

Support Services

• Lobby and intake area serving as the central entry point for visitors.
• Private office space for counseling, mentoring, case management, and administrative support.
• On-site barber services to help veterans maintain professional appearance and confidence.

Workforce Development & Hands-On Training

• Two vehicle service bays supporting mechanical training, workforce development, mentorship opportunities, and community projects.

Every area within The F.O.B. was intentionally designed to support:

• Veteran suicide prevention
• Recovery and reintegration
• Physical and mental wellness
• Peer support and community connection
• Workforce development
• Mechanical and vocational training
• Family engagement
• Justice diversion and second-chance opportunities

The F.O.B. operates as an alcohol-free, drug-free, tobacco-free, vape-free, and gambling-free environment dedicated to helping veterans rebuild strength, find purpose, and reconnect with their communities.

One Place. One Entry Point. Immediate Support.

Veterans Are The Mission.

The F.O.B. Gym is far more than a traditional fitness facility. It was built as a veteran-focused wellness, recovery, and reintegration environment where physical fitness, mental resilience, peer support, and community come together under one roof.

At the heart of the facility is a 40-foot by 40-foot training mat area designed for boxing, self-defense, martial arts, conditioning, group fitness, wellness classes, and community events. Multiple heavy bags, boxing bags, and speed bags provide opportunities for skill development, stress relief, discipline, and physical conditioning.

The strength and conditioning area includes:

• Free weights
• Olympic bars and plates
• Power racks
• Benches
• Weight machines
• Cable systems
• Exercise bikes
• Stair climbers
• Rowing machines
• Functional fitness equipment
• Mobility and conditioning space

Supporting the training environment are:

• Men’s locker room
• Women’s locker room
• Restrooms
• Classroom and meeting space
• Gaming lounge
• Open multi-purpose community area
• Recovery and peer support spaces

The facility is intentionally designed to support veterans at every stage of life—from those pursuing physical fitness goals to those rebuilding after addiction, homelessness, unemployment, incarceration, trauma, or personal crisis.

The gym serves as a hub for:

• Veteran wellness
• Suicide prevention
• Recovery support
• Peer engagement
• Workforce development
• Self-defense training
• Community connection
• Family-friendly programming

Whether someone wants to lift weights, hit a heavy bag, attend a support meeting, take a class, play a game with friends, or simply enjoy a cup of coffee and conversation, The F.O.B. provides a safe and welcoming place to belong.

Veterans Are The Mission.

Built for Strength. Built for Recovery. Built for Community.

The F.O.B. Garage Program is one of the most powerful parts of the entire Forward Operating Base concept.

This is not just a garage.

It is a hands-on training environment where veterans can rebuild confidence, learn practical skills, work with tools, restore vehicles, maintain equipment, and reconnect with purpose through real-world work.

The garage side of The F.O.B. includes vehicle bays, a lift, work benches, tools, shop equipment, restoration space, and equipment used for hands-on learning. Veterans can gain experience with mechanical basics, maintenance, troubleshooting, vehicle restoration, small equipment repair, safety practices, work discipline, and project-based teamwork.

The goal is simple: building skills, restoring purpose, and rebuilding futures.

For many veterans, working with their hands is therapeutic. A garage creates structure. It creates focus. It gives someone a task, a tool, a problem to solve, and a reason to keep showing up. That matters.

The Garage Program supports:

• Mechanical training
• Workforce development
• Vehicle restoration
• Equipment maintenance
• Shop safety
• Tool familiarity
• Mentorship
• Peer engagement
• Justice diversion support
• Recovery support
• Confidence building
• Career readiness

This program gives veterans and participants a place to learn by doing. Instead of sitting in a classroom only talking about next steps, they can stand at a workbench, turn a wrench, restore a vehicle, fix equipment, and see progress in front of them.

That kind of progress is powerful.

A project that starts as a broken car, an old machine, or a pile of parts becomes a visible reminder that things can be repaired, rebuilt, and brought back to life. For veterans working through trauma, addiction recovery, unemployment, isolation, or justice involvement, that message is real.

The F.O.B. Garage Program is also a natural bridge into employment. Participants can build work habits, learn basic mechanical skills, develop discipline, practice teamwork, and gain confidence in a real shop environment. It creates a pathway from instability to capability, from isolation to brotherhood, and from surviving to contributing.

This is veterans helping veterans in a practical, meaningful way.

No ego. No wrong door. No one turned away.

The F.O.B. Garage Program exists to help veterans rebuild more than machines. It helps rebuild strength, purpose, confidence, and futures.

  Rising Phoenix Evolution at The F.O.B.

Beginning June 1, 2026, The F.O.B. is proud to welcome Rising Phoenix Evolution as an official community fitness and recovery partner.

Rising Phoenix Evolution is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping individuals rebuild their lives through fitness, accountability, discipline, recovery, and positive community support.

Through this partnership, Rising Phoenix Evolution will host structured evening fitness programming at The F.O.B. Monday through Friday from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, creating additional opportunities for veterans and community members to improve their physical health, strengthen their mental resilience, and build meaningful connections with others.

Recovery and reintegration require more than treatment alone.

People need structure.

They need accountability.

They need healthy routines.

They need positive people around them.

Fitness creates all of those things.

By combining the veteran-focused mission of The F.O.B. with the recovery and wellness experience of Rising Phoenix Evolution, participants gain access to a supportive environment where they can continue moving forward one day at a time.

During Rising Phoenix Evolution programming, participants have access to:

• Full strength and conditioning equipment
• Free weights and resistance training
• Heavy bags and boxing equipment
• Functional fitness areas
• Conditioning equipment
• Open training space
• Community support and mentorship
• Positive peer engagement
• Structured fitness opportunities

The F.O.B. and Rising Phoenix Evolution share a common belief:

People are capable of rebuilding their lives when they are surrounded by support, accountability, purpose, and community.

Together, we are creating an environment where veterans, individuals in recovery, and members of the community can develop healthy habits, build confidence, improve wellness, and strengthen their future.

This partnership supports the broader mission of reducing isolation, promoting recovery, encouraging personal responsibility, and expanding positive opportunities throughout Northeast Indiana and Northwest Ohio.

Monday – Friday
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Location:
The F.O.B. (Forward Operating Base)
2301 Pennsylvania Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46803

Veterans Are The Mission.
Built for Purpose. Built Together.
No Ego. No Wrong Door. No One Turned Away.

 The F.O.B. is proud to offer a free Women’s Self-Defense Class designed to help women build confidence, improve awareness, develop practical personal safety skills, and strengthen both body and mind in a supportive environment.

This class focuses on real-world self-defense concepts, situational awareness, personal safety strategies, basic defensive techniques, and confidence-building exercises that can help participants feel more prepared and empowered in everyday life.

Whether you have prior experience or are stepping onto a training mat for the first time, this class is designed to be welcoming, supportive, and accessible to women of all fitness levels and backgrounds.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

• Learn practical self-defense skills
• Improve situational awareness
• Build confidence and personal resilience
• Develop physical and mental strength
• Practice basic defensive movements and techniques
• Connect with other women in a positive, supportive environment

Our goal is not simply to teach techniques. It is to help women feel stronger, safer, and more confident in their daily lives.

The class is hosted inside The F.O.B.’s training facility, which includes a large padded training area, fitness equipment, locker rooms, and a welcoming community environment dedicated to wellness, personal growth, and community support.

First Wednesday of Every Month
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Free — No Cost to Attend

The F.O.B. (Forward Operating Base)
2301 Pennsylvania Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46803

Everyone is welcome.

Stronger. Safer. Empowered.

This one class alone is a big deal because it demonstrates that the FOB isn’t just serving veterans in isolation—it’s helping strengthen the entire community around them. Veterans, spouses, daughters, mothers, girlfriends, and community members all benefit when people feel safer, more confident, and more connected.

 In partnership with Stack Up, The F.O.B. is proud to bring Dungeons & Dragons to our Gaming Lounge as a new way for veterans, families, gamers, and community members to connect, build friendships, and have fun together.

Dungeons & Dragons is more than a game.

It is a shared adventure built on teamwork, communication, creativity, leadership, strategy, and problem-solving. Around the table, players work together to overcome challenges, complete missions, and create unforgettable stories.

Whether you are a lifelong tabletop gamer or have never rolled a die before, everyone is welcome. No experience is required. Experienced players and Dungeon Masters will help new adventurers learn the game and join the fun.

Through our partnership with Stack Up, D&D Night helps create a welcoming environment where veterans and community members can build connections, reduce isolation, and strengthen the bonds that help people move forward together.

Participants can expect:

• Beginner-friendly games and instruction
• Team-based adventures and campaigns
• Strategy, problem-solving, and storytelling
• Opportunities to meet new friends
• Veteran and community engagement
• A welcoming, inclusive gaming environment
• Positive social interaction and peer support

At The F.O.B., we believe that connection saves lives. Programs like Dungeons & Dragons create opportunities for people to gather around a common mission, develop friendships, and become part of a larger community.

Sometimes the most important victory is not defeating a dragon.

Sometimes it is finding a place where you belong.

• Gaming Community
• Peer Support
• Community Connection
• Team Building
• Leadership Development
• Mental Wellness
• Veteran Engagement
• Suicide Prevention Through Connection

The F.O.B. Gaming Lounge
2301 Pennsylvania Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46803

Stack Up

Supporting Veterans Through Gaming

One Party. One Mission. No One Left Behind.

Roll for Initiative. Build Brotherhood. 

Complete the Mission.

Veterans Are The Mission.