Supportive bonds formed through Operation Patriot Support

VENICE, Fla. - Connected by service, the men and women with Operation Patriot Support share a bond unlike any other. 

"We are all out here [with] one goal and one mission," said Justin Gaertner. 

At Knight Trail Park in Venice, Gaertner reloads and aims. He's one of more than 80 veterans participating in Operation Patriot Support's fun shoot for vets. 

"When you come out and do something like this you take everything that you’ve experienced and seen at work and it goes away for a few hours," he said. 

Gaertner served five years in the Marines. Three years into his service, he was wounded during his third deployment to Afghanistan. With Operation Patriot Support, he's found a support network. 

"The stories that everybody has that helps push you through, as well. You can show the similarities between law enforcement and the military. We are all here for one goal and that’s to protect our family, friends and the nation," he said. 

Operation Patriot Support started five years ago in Sarasota County. The group's president, Dave Pfeiffer said the organization has raised a half-million dollars to support veterans, first responders, gold star family members.

"Those have been anything from paying power bills to paying tickets to funerals to taking guys on hunting and fishing trips," Pfeiffer said. 

Justin Lansford, a combat veteran and former staff sergeant with the 82nd Airborne connected with OPS after he was injured in Afghanistan. Now he works with OPS to help veterans from all walks of life connect and bond after service. 

"It made a huge impact on my life and my recovery," he said. "To be able to get guys together that can really relate to one another and been through similar circumstances as horrific or as difficult as they maybe can all relate in that regard and grow from there."

To find out more about Operation Patriot Support visit https://www.operationpatriotsupport.org/.