Interview: Fortis In Unum, the veterans support group for RevZilla, Cycle Gear, and J&P Cycles

Fortis In Unum started as an informal chat group before taking on a much more impactful role as the hub for all vets at Comoto. Common Tread interviewed Patrick Shartzer, co-founder of Fortis In Unum and maintenance technician at our Louisville distribution center, to talk about the challenges and successes of growing the group. He also shared some thoughts on supporting veterans in your own riding circles, and how motorcycles can have a life-changing effect on those who have served.

Common Tread: Tell us a bit about your background and motorcycling history.

Patrick Shartzer: I started riding motorcycles when I was 20 and still in the Army. I was riding ATVs from ages eight to 20 but had growing concerns after a shoulder injury in Iraq, so I put the off-road behind me and got a 1993 Yamaha FZR600. Immediately, I fell in love with riding, and I currently ride a 2014 Triumph Daytona 675. Any chance I get to ride, I take it whether it is on my bike, a rental, or one that someone is letting me borrow.

After returning from an 11-month tour in Iraq and being diagnosed with PTSD, the only outlet I could find was on my motorcycle. There is no feeling like it in the world. The euphoric experience of being exposed to the outdoors and going wherever you want. The rush of twisting the throttle and barely being able to keep the front wheel on the road. No car, truck, boat, or roller-coaster can duplicate the feeling of throwing your leg over the seat and riding down some twisty country roads.

I served in the U.S. Army from June 2002 to June 2005 and separated under Medical Discharge. I was a Light-Wheeled Diesel Mechanic and served 11 months of my time in Baghdad, Iraq from 2003 to 2004.

CT: How did Fortis In Unum start, and how does it serve veterans?

PS: Fortis In Unum is a TMRG for those who served our country in one way or another. It started out as a group exclusively for veterans and then we opened it up to first responders, as well. We didn't always have a group like this. After the loss of Army veteran and Returns Inspector Corey Hadley, who suffered deeply from significant traumatic brain injury and PTSD, I reached out to HR to see if we could just create a Slack room for veterans so we could do our best to prevent any further tragedy. Unfortunately, we couldn't figure out a way to do it right away and it was pushed aside for a while.

Then, in 2020, I was recovering from a surgery and received a message from HR asking if I was still interested in forming the group. An enthusiastic "YES" was sent and that simple Slack channel grew into what it is today: a safe space for veterans and first responders to hang out, tell jokes and stories, and bring up any concerns they have so we can find ways to deal with them. 

CT: How do Fortis In Unum members support each other? How large is the group, and how do you meet with each other (virtually and in person)?

PS: Currently, we have 45 members in the group and we meet, using Google Meets, once per month to discuss any projects we have going on and to bring up any concerns. Throughout the rest of the month we use Slack to stay in communication, send polls, memes, etc. 

CT: Motorcycles and military service are commonly found together, even going back to motorcycling's earliest days. What, in your opinion, is it about motorcycles that draws in veterans?

PS: Veterans fought for freedom. What gives the biggest feeling of freedom? Motorcycles.

CT: Can’t argue with that. Common Tread has featured multiple organizations that use motorcycles to help veterans while building trust, camaraderie, and skills. (Examples: "Where The Road Ends" film, ADV programs to combat PTSD, the Veterans Charity Ride.) How have you seen motorcycles making a difference in the lives of Fortis In Unum members?

PS: It's a common ground outside of the service to our country. Something else we have in common. Not all of us ride but we still share a passion for it. We occasionally share photos of our bikes. And like I said earlier, motorcycling is an outlet that can help veterans like nothing else.

CT: As one of the founders of Fortis In Unum, what advice would you give to veterans and first responders (and/or friends of vets and first responders) looking to start a motorcycling group of their own? What were some of the lessons you learned while FIU was growing from a Slack channel to a larger organization?

PS: Just go for it. Forming a group is great. A good meeting place is any Legion Post, or you can use online tools like our Slack channel and regular Google Meet events if everyone is spread over large distances. As with anything, it doesn't always start out huge. It takes time to get some traction but when it does get some steam built up, it can take off. Take your time. 

CT: When it came to designing the Fortis In Unum logo, what were some of those logo choices, and what do they mean to you?

PS: We went through a few ideas but only a few made it to a visible platform. When I ran into a block while designing the logo, I reached out to the group to see what kind of input they could give. That's when we got the idea to use the stars. Each color represents the different branches of the US Military. 

CT: For this last question, we’ll turn things over to Maggie Haas and Jen Smith, who are co-leaders in Fortis In Unum with Patrick. What is the most important work the Fortis In Unum is doing? And what are some of the biggest obstacles or challenges that FIU faces?

MH, JS: After getting organized and adding two new co-leaders, we started with something small to get the members some swag. It doesn’t take much to make an organization feel like a real group. Then we immediately turned around and started the project for the landing page where people could learn about our group and see what we are doing to support our members.

We are also working with a few organizations that help Veterans and First Responders such as The Moto Relief Project, Children of Fallen Patriots, and Operation First Response. By supporting their missions, we support our veterans, too. As for obstacles and challenges, communication is the biggest challenge. As with any aspect of life, communication is the key to success. Not all of us live or work in the same places, but that hasn’t stopped us from building a community that can make a difference.

Thank you to Fortis In Unum for supporting veterans and first responders across the Comoto family of brands, and special thanks to Patrick, Maggie, and Jen for contributing to this story.