OCALA, Fla. – Following last week's attacks at military recruiting facilities in Chattanooga, Tennessee, veterans now are standing guard across the country.
Some are armed with rifles, and the trend has spread to Central Florida, where one veteran is sitting down ready to defend the men and women inside a Marion County center, according to News4Jax sister station Local 6.
"Who is going to protect the protectors?" asked Navy veteran Stirling Wright.
"Being former military, former law enforcement, there is always that comrade and it angered me to the point that I said, 'This has got to stop,'" said Wright.
Wright is talking about last week's attack in Chattanooga. Five members of the military were killed at recruiting centers. A gun battle with police soon after left the 24-year-old shooter dead.
"Is this your way to channel your frustration and your anger? asked Local 6's Sheli Muniz.
"It's the safest way," said Wright.
So, 480 miles away, for nine hours, Wright sits outside of an Armed Forces Recruitment Office in Ocala keeping watch. He volunteers without anyone asking him.
"Oh, people tooting, waving, and I've had people come by and say, 'Thank you.' I'm like, 'OK, I didn't wash your car,'" Wright said when asked how receptive people have been toward it.
When asked if he's armed, he said, "You know, the best tool that you could ever have is your mind, and so you look for things that are out of place and you act accordingly, so if someone decides to act stupid, we match it and then we double it," answered Wright.
There have been similar sights across the country in Alabama, Tennessee and New Hampshire, where other vets are protecting their fellow brothers and sisters.
"It's them. They're the ones that need the 'thank yous,' Wright said. "I'm still appalled that they have to lock their doors while they're in there."
Just this weekend, Florida Gov. Rick Scott ordered National Guardsman to be armed and moved their recruiters to armories. As for Wright, he said he isn't sure how long he'll be doing this for, but he will be back at it again Tuesday. His son plans to join him.
Meanwhile, investigators in Chattanooga are trying to get inside of the mind of the gunman. They are pouring over pages of notes left behind by Muhammad Abdulazeez. Sources told CBS News that he wrote about how he was influenced by images of death in the Middle East. His family said the 24-year-old man was depressed and on medication.