LIBERTY:

is conceived in the heart (spirit) of man...
is dwelt upon in the mind of man...
is desired in the deepest thoughts of man...
is fought for by the intelligence and strength of man...
is won and paid for by the sacrifice of man...
is watered by the blood of man...
is kept by the actions of man...
is secured by the sacrifice of some men for the ultimate benefit of other men...
is lost by the inaction of man...

Liberty is often taken for granted by those who have it but did not win it for themselves.

Liberty is assumed by those who have enjoyed it... Desired by those who do not have it...
Sought at any cost by those who refuse to live without it... Death is better than slavery or dictatorial government for those who have conceived it's reality but never tasted it's experience.

Liberty means the same laws and the same opportunities for everyone who lives within it's realm.  Liberty is life.  Life is only existence without Liberty.

Liberty is the reason that a nation like the United States of America will go to the rescue of the people of another nation who are being destroyed by despotism.  Liberty is the reason Peace Keepers volunteer to take their place in the line of battle for the benefit of themselves if they survive and always for the benefit of others whether the Peace Keeper survives or not.

Another word for Liberty is Honor...

"Tell me not, sweet, I am unkind
That for (from) the nunnerie of thy chaste breast and quiet mind,
To war and armies I flee.
True, a new mistress I now chase--
The first foe in the field;
And in a stronger faith embrace
A sword, a horse, a shield.
Yet this inconsistency is such
As, you too, should adore;
I could not love thee, deare, so much,
Loved I not HONOR more."
(Richard Lovelace to Lucasta on Going to the Wars)

Liberty - Honor - These impel Peace Keepers to wars and battles.  They cannot resist... It is in their blood... It manifests itself in ways that no one else around you understands.  Liberty - Honor - These drive Peace Keepers  to take chances that endanger life and limb.  Along with Liberty and Honor comes the commitment to Peace and Safety.  Not peace and safety for self... But peace and safety for loved ones and strangers.  Peace and safety for citizens... travelers... Peace and safety for all in need... Peace and safety for everyone except foes and enemies who do not lay aside their arms and munitions, stop their threatening ways and change their point of view about the lives and rights of all people in their presence... in relation to all people before them, behind them, beside them, all around them in all levels of life.

The foe and enemy that will not change their views can soon expect to be faced with lovers of Liberty and Honor who will sacrifice all they are and all they have to secure Liberty, Honor, Peace and Safety for those of whom the enemy and foe have taken advantage and abused.

In my experience of being among Peace Keepers in all of my long years I have experienced the epitome of the joy of being among Peace Keepers who adhere to the highest of ideals and commitments... Who are willing to do whatever it takes to provide peace and safety to the greatest number of people possible.  These Peace Keepers will fight for peace and safety and fight with those who threaten peace and safety until the peace and safety are secured or until there is no life or strength left in the bodies of either the Peace Keepers or the enemies.

Peace Keepers will bravely face danger great and small to keep or secure the peace and safety.  Peace Keepers will face and deal with all obstacles to peace and safety
wherever they find them, whether on home fields or foreign fields.  That is why we have law enforcement, military, security contractors and all of those in their support systems.

What one of these cannot do alone is done in unison with others of the same mind and heart... Compadres.  It takes everyone in all levels of peace keeping to obtain, keep and maintain peace and safety so that all people may live in Liberty and conduct themselves Honorably.

No one that I ever loved or who loved me understood these things about Liberty and Honor.  Loved ones have fought with me over these attitudes manifest for the sake of peace, safety, Liberty and Honor.  Some of the most precious relationships have disappeared because they did not understand why a Peace Keeper stands for Liberty and Honor no matter the cost nor how inconvenient that it might be.

Many times I would rather have been at home with my loved ones instead of being where I was on my assigned battlefield.  Many times I have wished I could re-claim all that was sacrificed as I tended my duties on my field of assignment... But that is part of the price paid... And I still have those thoughts often as duty dictates more sacrifice... And still more sacrifice.

There are times that the place of duty is the loneliest place anywhere.  Sometimes it is so lonely that it seems that the power of the loneliness will never be dissipated.  It is in these times that the Peace Keeper must lay aside all thoughts of these temptations and center mind and heart upon the duty at hand... Wherever and whatever that duty is.

I have voluntarily prowled dark woods looking for illegal moonshine stills knowing that moonshiners will shoot to kill if threatened with discovery and arrest.  I have voluntarily gone to doors in the middle of the night to serve arrest warrants alone and well aware that there was no other Peace Keeper anywhere close who could come to my aid if I were to be attacked or overcome... Yet I did my duty. 

I have conducted investigations alone in wilderness areas knowing that the criminal(s) could still be in the vicinity and watching for a chance to get me before I get him.  In all cases then I gave the choices that I still often give today... Mercy or Justice... Submit peacefully or be made to submit whatever the cost... If you want to be treated well, follow instructions.  The legal document or on site arrest means that you are going to go with me to satisfy the demand made by the law... Peacefully and well treated or however your actions dictate.  I am allowed to use whatever force that is necessary to overcome your resistance and effect the arrest...  Whatever force, including death if that is the only way to take you.

This is the attitude that I have found in the best of the best of Peace Keepers whether they volunteered to keep the peace and safety at home or on foreign soil... Whether they were law enforcement, military, security contractors or support system personnel... The same attitude.  THANK YOU!  Forever and eternally, THANK YOU!!!

My Commander-In-Chief and I will always hold you in highest regard and appreciation...
THANK YOU!!!

Minute Men, Citizen Soldiers, Constables, Sheriffs, Marshals, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines in our early history... Followed by more of the same plus, Police Officers, Flyers, Submariners, Security Contractors, Communications Personnel, Court Systems and more... The list still goes on... And the citizens of the world are the beneficiaries of their actions of the performance of duty... And you, the reader, are in that line someplace.

"BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!"  Always be alert, watchful, suspicious and wary... Take the very best of care of you as you care for and about others.  See to your own spiritual needs because your spirit must be strong for you to succeed.

Call or write if I may be of any service to you.

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

Training and practice are everything!
Without it, the best results are not obtained!

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,
Surviving Peace Keeper,
Virginia State Police Alumni,
RETIRED Police Officer Virginia Beach Police Dept.,
DCJS Certified Police Instructor,
Community Service Officer (Traffic Safety)
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.