MEMORIAL..

If we do not remember where we have been and learn from the past we
will lose our way... Then we will repeat all of the errors of past
civilizations and countries.

As I walked my assigned area of patrol yesterday I read the signs
erected along our Boardwalk giving the historical details of our wars
and memorable battles. As I absorbed each message and set of details I
became more and more thankful that we are here in this nation and in
this time... and that we are who we are.

I was greeted yesterday by many who have served in keeping the peace in
times past and I noted that in each life I could see the marks of the
cost if I looked closely. I was greeted by some to whom I had
ministered in the more difficult times of their past and it was good to
see that they were doing better... but their better was still far from
where they would like to be and deserve to be both in economics and in
health.... May we as a nation find more and better ways to assist our
veterans.

The daytime patrol went well and I worked with three young women with
whom it was a great pleasure to be assigned. They are all finishing
their educations... Two of them as Interns... And one is almost to the
point of receiving an officer commission in the Army Reserves. The one
in the Reserves serves in an MP Company back home in Pennsylvannia.

The day was long and full... Temperatures were quite warm with a good
breeze blowing from the south-southwest. Thank God and the Sergeant
for good sunscreen because I had to wear a shortsleeve uniform rather
than my usual habit of long sleeves. We covered a lot of concrete on
foot and some of the time in a golfcart....

Then I rushed home to eat, rest, sleep and do oceanfront with the
walking beats at 2300. On the night beats we had a very good night
until 0200... Then in the midst of a crowd that had just emptied out
from the nightclubs there erupted a scuffle... which turned into a
crowd moving fight... which developed into a melee that occupied
numerous officers, supervisors and chaplains as we tried to calm the
situation, remove the perpetrators and restore peace.

When we managed to clear the sidewalk then we had to block much of the
four lane street with police and rescue apparatus as the injured had to
be given attention and traffic re-routed around the blocking equipment.

One citizen walking past me last night stopped for a few comments and
he said that he had never seen so much stupidity in so many people in
such a short time... and that was long before the fight broke out.

We definitely could tell that a large carrier group had come home
because of the influx of military who were trying to look like
civillians and Shore Patrol on foot with the rest of us.

Tonight and Sunday night will likely be a repeat of the same with many
more people crowded into our resort area. The adventure continues...
Long periods of boredom watching people and then moments of mayhem
which must be controlled as quickly as possible to deter other
unlawful, destructive activity.

I have great interest in observing people as they go about their
activities. Days such as yesterday greatly contribute to my gaining of
knowledge and wisdom as I do my assignments of assisting Peace Keepers
and people on the job.

My favorite movie channel is celebrating 100 years of the life of John
Wayne. Many of his classics are being shown today. As I watched one
this morning I found myself meditating upon all
of the Peace Keepers who face adversity daily to make life as peaceful
as possible for all of us in this nation.

Peace Keepers... We cannot thank you enough nor can we appreciate you
enough.
Besides needing a job with pay I took the two jobs offered to me so
that I could be more useful in assisting the Peace Keepers of my city
as they go and as they perform their duties of making life as peaceful
as possible for all the rest of us. I thoroughly enjoyed my duty
yesterday as a Patrol Aide greeting people, assisting police officers
and preserving safety for the people visiting our beach and resort
area... plus I was assigned to work with some very fine young people in
the process... Blessed with enjoying my work and getting paid for it
too!... Powerful blessing!

As I continue passing through this weekend you all will be greatly in
my thoughts and on my mind. I will be dwelling upon my great
appreciation for all that you are and for all that you have done and
are doing. You are fabulous people and we would have no life as we
know it today without you and all of those that have preceded you that
we must remember daily as well as on this special holiday... THANK
YOU! I WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERING!

"BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!" Be alert, watchful, suspicious and wary. Take
the best of care of you as you care for and about others. Take great
care to see to your spiritual welfare also. It needs to be strong for
you to succeed.

Call or write if I may be of any assistance.

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 TO BE ENVIED)...
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.]

I represent, write for... and give the credit to:
God the Father (my Commander-in-Chief),
Jesus Christ the Son (the Eternal Captain of my life) and
the Holy Spirit of God (my Eternal Teacher, Keeper and Guide).
In Christ I live... with Him and for you I serve...
And I rejoice that you are there whether you are Christian or not...
D. R. (Don) Staton, Chaplain to Peace Keepers,
VIRGINIA STATE POLICE ALUMNI,
RETIRED Police Officer, Certified Police Instructor,
757-431-2190, chpln1@verizon.net
3709 Beacon Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23452
=================================================
All rights reserved. May not be duplicated without permission, except
to be forwarded with all source information for any quotation intact.

To subscribe to this free e-mail message for Peace Keepers, 
write to Chaplain D. R. Staton at chpln1@verizon.net or at 
3709 Beacon Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23452.

If you are a Peace Keeper you may subscribe to 
the BLACKWATER TACTICAL NEWSLETTER  by going to the 
website at BLACKWATER USA.