Our History
It was April of 2020 and I was teaching at the Naval Academy. Over a 30 day period, I had three of my Marines commit suicide. As their platoon commander, I did everything possible to keep my Marines alive in combat. Now, my Marines were dying here, on the home front.
“I lost 25 on the battlefield, but I lost more at home to suicide.”
I founded this organization and, since our inception in 2021, we've run our Return To Base programs here in Thompson Falls, Montana. We have nearly 40 chapters and still growing. There's thousands of veterans gathering every month across the country in their home towns under the banner of Patrol Base Abbate.
Hundreds of veterans will continue to come to this patrol base every year, in the healing isolation of the Montana wilderness, to find their tribe again. This is the place where all veterans can rest and refit.
— Tom Schueman
Founder, Patrol Base Abbate
It’s not about how you served, it’s because you’ve served.
Our Namesake
Sergeant Matt Abbate
Sgt Matt Abbate, Navy Cross recipient, was committed to the protection of and service to others. Before he was killed in action on December 2, 2010 he impacted the lives of everyone he interacted with in the most uplifting, impactful way.
Matt served as the confidence boost and support his fellows needed to overcome challenge, reduce obstacles, and charge ahead. He was a force multiplier on the battlefield and on the home front.
We honor Matt's legacy by using his example to identify the heroes in our lives who propel us through challenge and into the next best chapters of our lives. Matt’s legacy drives us to continue to serve, so we can be the guiding light for others.
Our Permanent Patrol Base
Our Patrol Base is 60 acres in the healing isolation of the Northern Rockies. Completely off-grid, it is deliberately austere to get us outside and on the move. It serves as the home for our premier Return To Base Program where we welcome hundreds of veterans each year back into friendly lines.
This Patrol Base exists as a place for all who served to rest, reconnect with fellow veterans, and rediscover purpose in service to ourselves, our families, and our communities.
We need your support.
This property is allowing us to dramatically increase our impact to a growing number of veterans in more significant ways. We cannot do it alone. Much like our service in the military, mission accomplishment will only happen through team effort. Your generous donations will allow more veterans to reconnect, recalibrate and rediscover
Theory of Victory
An unconstrained PBA has a world-class Fleet-to-Street recruiting program that places transitioning service members into thriving local chapters. These local chapters connect each month and forge communities within their community. Veterans bring the positive aspects of their military experience back home and continue to serve. Local chapters have community partnerships, fundraise, recruit, and, most importantly, provide an immediate, accessible connecting file for everyone who’s served.
Finally, these local chapters are partnered with clinical resources at the local level because a complementary approach between clinical and nonclinical partners offers our best hope of reducing the number of veteran suicides.
Meanwhile, at the Patrol Base, a battalion's worth of veterans muster in Montana to experience the world-class programming where they communally heal and exit the patrol base prepared to serve in their local chapter.
