Sweetwater partnership helps Fort Wayne veterans connect through music

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - For Navy veteran Kris Bodenhafer, learning to play the guitar was more than a new hobby.

“This program saves lives,” Bodenhafer said of Guitars for Vets, the nonprofit where he now serves as assistant chapter coordinator in Fort Wayne.

The organization offers free guitar lessons to veterans living with PTSD and other service-related trauma. A partnership with Sweetwater is helping the nonprofit put new guitars in the hands of veterans who complete the program.

Veterans receive 10 weeks of lessons tailored to their physical and emotional needs. After completing the program, they receive a guitar and an invitation to jam with other veterans.

“We’re not making rock stars here. I want to make that very clear,” Bodenhafer said. “The point of the program is to get that magical power of music into veterans’ hands.”

Bodenhafer said the jam sessions help veterans stay connected with people who can relate to their experiences.

“Sometimes family members don’t understand, and as much as they want to help, it’s just not the same as having a brother or sister there in a group with you who can really relate,” he said.

Guitars for Vets sells donated instruments through Sweetwater’s used-gear marketplace, Gear Exchange. The money helps the nonprofit buy new guitars for veterans who complete the program.

The nonprofit says it has sold nearly 150 instruments through its storefront since late 2025, helping provide hundreds of new guitars for veterans.

“It just seemed like a no-brainer, helping people learn how to play music, supporting veterans, music therapy, just really cool stuff that all aligned with our mission here,” said Chrissy Pearl, director of integrated marketing for Sweetwater’s Gear Exchange.

Veterans interested in lessons and people who want to donate can learn more at Guitars4vets.org. Shoppers can also visit the nonprofit’s Gear Exchange storefront.