EXPERIENCE
n. - practical knowledge gained by trial or practice; personal proof or trial;
continuous practice; an event in one's life;
v.t. - to undergo; to feel; to endure; to encounter; (and to retain for further use)

Last night and today I rode into Iraq with First Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and
Chaplain (Lt.) Carey H. Cash via his book about preparation for and entry into Iraq
in March of 2003.  His book is entitled, A TABLE IN THE PRESENCE.

Through vivid imagery I experienced all that he experienced with his God and his
assigned duty to minister to and for the members of the Marines and those other
military units assigned to work with the Marines.  It was a gut wrenching experience...
and one that makes me wish I was young enough and able to do the same duty...
but I cannot, so I do the best I can... I sit here weekly and write... and work as I can
with the Peace Keepers whom I might meet through the writing and work with the
Peace Keepers to which I am assigned here in the City of Virginia Beach.

Someone along my journey to here said something I  thought to be profound when I
first heard it... "There are no atheists in foxholes and gun fights."  I do not know who
was the author of it... I just remember the comment.  When I think back to my first
days as a Trooper for Virginia State Police, when I was not either a Christian nor
a religious man, I remember a long string of experiences that brought me to see
and discover the need to find out for myself if there was really a God who cared
what happened to me.  I set out on an inquiry... to investigate for myself.  I looked in
all the places where I thought that knowledge would be available... churches and
preachers but I did not find the knowledge that I needed there... but I did continue
my search until I found the information and experience that was satisfactory to me...
and that course of seeking and finding brought me to here... and to you.

Chaplain Cash had his own journey that brought him to the U.S. Navy as a Chaplain
and then his assignment to the above noted Marine Battalion.  He presented his
journey in a very clear manner and I identified with many occurrences along his
detailed journey.  Some of his experiences were so clearly presented that it was as
though I was there with him and sharing it all with him... right down to the agony and
the ecstasy of life among warriors in real fire fights... including miracles and death.

There is no greater experience available to a person today than to be assigned
to care for and about the spiritual welfare of Peace Keepers wherever they are...
wherever their battleground... the sands of Iraq or the streets, highways, roads
and neighborhoods of the homeland.

One of the chaplains of the unit for which I am responsible just returned home from
the gulf Coast region.  One of the things he experienced most profoundly was the
great need for spiritual support for the Peace Keepers who are working there and
for the populace of the region.  He had a whirlwind experience of people
approaching him, wherever they saw him, for spiritual assistance, encouraging
words and prayer.  He also surprised many Peace Keepers with assistance that
met their needs on the job and reflected that he was well trained and understood
their needs in their current situations.  The Peace Keepers were very thankful for his
assistance.

Daily I work at taking care of myself so that I might be able to care for and about
you and all that concerns you.  My being a Peace Keeper made me keenly aware
of the needs of Peace Keepers for I experienced those needs... and learned by
the hard way of experience just how my needs could be met.  Now I am assigned to
try to get the message to you if you want it...

This week just past has been expensive to us all again.  Some of the costs are
outlined in the following information;
================================================================
PoliceOne.com
Officer Down
Ga. Officer dies in automobile accident - 10/19/2005
Michael Davis - [Clayton County, Georgia]

PoliceOne Safety Tip:

Suspect bathroom breaks
submitted by Chris Martin of the McArthur (OH) PD When taking a subject to the
bathroom, handcuff their dominant "strong" hand behind them to their belt or belt
loop and uncuff the non-dominant "weak" hand. This may help prevent evidence
from being easily retrieved and thrown down ... Full Story

PoliceOne Training Tip:

Safe flashlight usage in traffic control
Submitted by: Asst. Chief Bobby Jones Never aim your flashlight directly into the eyes
of an oncoming driver. Visual recovery from bright lights at night can take several
seconds. A driver needs to perceive and react to what is going on. If they are
blinded by light, the eye has to recover before they can perception and react ...
Full Story
===============================================================
Waterborne@aol.com

Florida: Florida Deputy Shooting Suspect Captured. http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3981496&nav=0qq6

 Georgia: Clayton County officer killed in car accident.
http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/local/12934025.htm

Georgia: Injured Deputy Goes To Ga. For Treatment.
http://www.wesh.com/news/5117079/detail.html?rss=orl&psp=news

Oklahoma: Officer killed during pursuit. A 22-year-old man wanted as
a second-degree murder suspect in the traffic death of an Oklahoma
City police officer turned himself in Thursday night. http://www.channeloklahoma.com/news/5133013/detail.html

Missouri: Wounded officer returns to patrol. Officer Curtis Brown has gone
through 10 months of physical therapy.
http://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/story.php?ID=16659
===============================================================
VIRGINIAN-PILOT, NORFOLK, VA, 10/22/05
IRAQ
U.S. Troops killed - 19
U.S. Troops killed since o3/03 - 1992

Outlook for Iraq's Army.  It will take up to two years for the Iraqi Army to have the
military leadership and supplies it needs to operate on its own, the commander of
U.S. forces in Baghdad said Friday.
===============================================================
In the book referred to, Lt. Cash also referred to one of my most favorite authors.
That author wrote a book that grabbed my attention long, long ago and is here in my
office today in a very, very well worn condition and it looks like it has been through a
war.  That book is entitled, GOD TELLS THE MAN WHO CARES.  It looks like today
is a day in my life specifically influenced by the experiences of others that have been
recorded in book form.  As far as I am concerned these two books referred to today
could have been written just for me alone to read.  Their affectation upon me is that
great.  I have learned much about this world and the spiritual world through books.
I have traveled all over the world and had many kinds of adventures through books.

I am not ashamed to say that my education is the product of many authors that have
influenced me tremendously since I was a child.  I was a child of backwoods poverty,
except that I did not know we lived in poverty.  I learned from  my father that I could
learn as much as I wanted to learn about anything that interested me if I made
friends with books and absorbed their messages.  I have always loved many kinds
of books that covered many kinds of subjects but my favorites were the books that
informed me about the people who made this world a better place in which to live. 
History fascinated me, most especially the history of this nation and ancient history. 
I also learned at a very early age that my survival and my success depended upon
me; upon what I learned; and what I did with what I learned.  So many, many men
and some women left such a great influence upon me that I am a product of all of
their experiences and their knowledge that I found by reading and absorbing it...
absorbing it as voraciously as if I was starving for it... dying of hunger for it!

In the process of all of this learning I found the influence of my God personally and
intimately... and that personal, intimate knowledge led me to here... and to you... to
care for and about you as though you were my personal responsibility.  I became
an instructor to Peace Keepers because that profound affectation from the
knowledge that I absorbed would allow me to do no other with my life.  I became a
chaplain, as well as a Peace Keeper in order to be out there with you when I could
be there and available to you should you ever desire my assistance... all of that
inspired by my own experiences as a Peace Keeper.

Now, too many rules made by others make the active, hands on participation, very
difficult.  Often writing and instructing are all that are left to me to use to further my
participation in this most demanding profession.  I wanted to go to New Orleans
but circumstances dictated that I could not do that because of responsibility to care
for and about my disabled daughter and provide for her.

After reading Lt. Cash's book, I would like to have been able to be in Iraq with those
Peace Keepers... but since 2002 I have been responsible for caring for that same
daughter as her condition continued to worsen after the death of her mother, my dear
wife Sue, and the death of her younger brother, my son Jamie.  Today, if I could, I
would turn back some years and add some things to the things that I did accomplish. 
No matter how far I have traveled nor how much I have accomplished with and for all
of you... it will never be enough... not ever enough!!!  That will be among my last
thoughts whenever it is that I draw that last breath in this world... so today I resort to
writing... and I probably will for as long as I travel the courses of this life. Nobody will
ever do enough for all of you... and all of you who are Peace Keepers deserve so
much more in opportunities, provision and pay.

You have never been paid enough and never supported well enough.  You have
always been expected to do more with far less than you should have received to
accomplish the results expected of you.

My prayer is that if there is anything I can change or influence, that I will find the ways
and means to get it done... and never be satisfied as long as there is still one more
 thing that I might be able to do for your good and welfare... whether you are in
Afghanistan, Iraq, any other foreign field or here in the homeland.  You are my parish
and I take the responsibility very, very seriously.  Like the Three Musketeers... like
the U.S. Marines... like the Texas Rangers and the Mounties plus many, many others...
"All for One and One for All... Thus always the Corp... Always get your man... Never
Give UP!!!... FOREVER THE SAME STRONG, POWERFUL ATTITUDE... AND
NEVER DIMINISH... NEVER LET DOWN... NEVER!!!

My destiny from a long, long line of warrior ancestors was to be one among you and
one of you.  For that I am most deeply thankful.  May one day it expand even more
than it already has.

My Commander-in-Chief and I are most deeply appreciative for who you are and for
what you have done to make, preserve and keep the peace in this world for all of the
others who could not have done it for themselves without you.  Your efforts and your
service have been noted.  You are most special to us.  We NEED all of you and
EACH of you as our Ministers of Rightness in this world as stated in the writings
of the Apostle Paul in Romans, Chapter 13:1-4.

As always... "BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!"... wherever there is for you.  Be alert,
watchful, suspicious and wary.  Take as good care of you as is possible... for if you
do not... you will not be able to care for others for very long.  Please see to the
spiritual aspect of your life as well... for you need it to be strong and healthy as well
as you need a strong healthy body.  He stands ready and willing to meet your needs
if you will ask... and if you will let him lead you... He will be with you personally
wherever you are... in every moment...  I know that from experience as a Peace
Keeper myself... I KNOW!... and I want you to know if you will allow me to help in
any way.

As it has always been... so it still is...
"VICTORIOUS WARRIORS WIN FIRST...
AND THEN GO TO WAR,
WHILE DEFEATED WARRIORS GO TO WAR FIRST...
AND THEN SEEK TO WIN."  Sun tzu

ONLY LIVE PEACE KEEPERS SEE THE VICTORY!!!
THEY SEE IT ONLY BECAUSE OTHERS HAVE MADE THEIR ETERNAL
PAYMENTS OF SWEAT, BLOOD, TEARS AND LIFE FOR THAT VICTORY!

WITH THE DEEPEST OF APPRECIATION AND RESPECT...
BE BLESSED (A CONDITION OF HAPPINESS TO BE ENVIED BY THE WORLD)...
BE SUCCESSFUL... BE SAFE...
My injunction to be safe means doing all you know to do as you do your job... it means
doing the best you can with what you have where you are using all your faculties to get
the job done well and with good results conquering evil and keeping or restoring peace...
it does not mean to avoid duty and honor... it does not mean to cower or allow anything
to hinder you in the process of duty according to rules, law and ethics...  it means that if
the demand takes your earthly life you destroy as much evil as possible in the process. 
That is my definition of being safe... doing the best you can and leaving the rest to God
or whomever else is responsible... being best employed for the sake and protection of all
the things and people that we hold dear.
Chaplain D. R. Staton (Don - C1) VBPD, VSP ALUMNI,
RETIRED VBPD Officer, Instructor, Senior Chaplain, Director of Chaplains
757-431-2190, chpln1@verizon.net
3709 Beacon Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23452
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Copyright: CHAPLAIN CORNER (DRS) 2005. All rights reserved. May not be
duplicated without permission, except to be forwarded with copyright and
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