THE CONTRACT - THE OATH OF OFFICE

Now, there is a good definition of an oath and an Oath Taker! The Oath Taker is making a commitment to do what is demanded of him/her in relation to the purpose for which the oath is taken. People entering the military take an oath. People entering law enforcement take an oath. All of them take an oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies whomsoever, foreign or domestic. These can be very high stakes.

This commitment says, "I will follow any lawful order..." It also says, "I will be a self starter"... That means that if I see a thing that needs to be done that I can do, I will give all that it takes to get the thing done. It means I am committed to the last ounce of strength, to the last puff of breath, to the last motion of my physical body, to the last thought of my mind and spirit.

Oath Takers are a most awesome breed of human being. In some cases the oath was between the person and his/her own conscience long before it was taken before someone with the official power to administer oaths. The 300 Spartans at the Gates of Fire were Oath Takers. The landing parties of Normandy's "D" Day were Oath Takers. The pilots of Doolittle's Raid were Oath Takers. All of our military in the World Wars, in the Sandbox and Afghanistan are Oath Takers. Every Law Enforcement Officer who has or is working in defense of the Homeland is an Oath Taker.

All of the hundred's of thousands of military personnel who have given their lives in the service of this country were Oath Takers. All of our allies with whom we engaged a common enemy were Oath Takers and they fought along side us and we along side them to rid the world of Despotism giving all they had to give just as our Oath Takers did, many of them dying in the process. Over 17,000 Law enforcement Officers memorialized on the Police Officer's Memorial in Washington, D.C. were Oath Takers.

Whether on a battlefield, on a ship at sea, in a plane in the sky, in a guard duty situation, in a patrol car, walking a beat, riding in/on any kind of vehicle... All of the Oath Takers are our first line of defense and the basic fabric of our nation's being. Weary, strained, duty tested... They all fall into my most often used and respect delivering term... Peace Keeper.

If it were not for each of them and all of them, each of us would have to live in fortified dwellings and resort to armed self defense or be ravaged by the self centered takers of this world. Without the system of laws and defense the nation would not exist. The first thoughts given by those who won the land by battle and defeating the forces that held it were to set up a system of laws, government and enforcement. Even in those lands we conquered and intended to give back to the original inhabitants, our forces had to establish a ruling occupation force until an acceptable and functioning home government could be re-established.

Most of my recent hours have been taken up with this subject running all through my thoughts. I have remembered history, battles, soldiers, peace officers and individuals. All of these are indelibly impressed into my being. In every case, each of these individuals, whether alone or in groups or armies, saw a need and took on the task of meeting the need for peace, safety, defense and enforcement. In every case they provided what the people needed until something better could be established. All of the civilized world exists today because of these people. Definitely the United States Of America as we have known it exists today because of just such people as these.

They secured a land... Then they secured a nation... They secured a Representative Republic so that all of us could be involved in the operation of the government if we wished to do so. They did not choose a kingdom with a king... They did not choose a Dictatorship... They did not choose a pure democracy... They chose a system of checks and balances... They chose a system of laws and enforcement with courts to balance the enforcement... They chose to distribute the power and have it so that no one part of the Representative Republic could rule over any other or all other parts the system set into operation. They enumerated the rights of all citizens. They set up the requirements that must be met by those who would desire to be our leaders. They fulfilled a dream and gave us a nation unlike any other before or since the USA was established.

Now, as President Lincoln said at Gettysburg, we are in a struggle to see if this nation will survive as we know it. Some people want change just for the sake of change and to try new things. The wise ones only want change where change is necessary for better function. The most important ingredient necessary is peace. All Peace Keepers desire peace and we are committed to it... But we recognize that peace must sometimes be obtained by a show of force or actual use of force. No one knows that more than a seasoned Peace Keeper whether of law enforcement or the military.

Peace in our streets means quick follow up when the peace is broken plus quick action to restore the peace and safety. Peace in our nation means a system of laws and courts that recognizes and enforces the laws and ethics for the good of the people. Peace in our nation means a strong homeland defense and a strong standing military. Any nation to exist as it desires to exist by the will of it's own people must be stronger than those who wish to destroy it and take it over. In our existence of over 230 years we have become just such a nation. If we are to continue and if we are to further improve on what we are, we must remain strong in laws, enforcement of those laws and maintain a standing military that is sufficient to meet the threats that could be inflicted upon us by our enemies present and future. We must be greater in wisdom and force that the power of any who would be against us.

he will of all of our people must be for preserving and continuing the nation as it is while we research laws and ethics to see if there are areas where we truly could improve the overall condition without attacking the rights of any of our own citizens. That is why we have the system of sending representatives to Congress to determine the best way to govern and the best ways to implement change... But we as citizens must be diligent to let those representatives know our thoughts in relation to the laws and changes they are considering. Peace Keepers might say we have voted for how we feel by taking the stand for peace and safety... But the representatives will not consider you in most cases unless they hear from you on whatever level of government the considerations are being made... Federal, State or Local... So let us understand that we must take part in the function of our own government besides the duties we serve for the sake of peace, safety and liberty by letting the representatives of our Congress know what we think in relation to the actions they are considering.

Peace Keepers, you took an oath to defend the country and the Constitution... Part of that defense is letting your voice be heard in the halls of government by communicating with the representatives we have sent to speak for us. Be aware of current events and what they can mean. Be well informed. Take proper action when action can make a difference. Let us keep our nation strong by adding our voices to our actions. Let us be active citizens as well as active Peace Keepers.

Some have been among us as Oath Takers and decided it was not for them and departed from among us. That is just what they should do when they can no longer comply with the commitment to which they had bound themselves.

Peace Keepers, thank you for who you are and for what you do and have done to make peace, keep peace, restore peace and to continuously keep secure our rights to Freedom, Liberty, Justice and the Pursuit of Happiness. We would have none of these for very long without you being there and doing what you do and have done. My Commander-In-Chief and I are Eternally grateful for your service. "BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!" ALWAYS be alert, watchful, suspicious and wary. Take the very best care of you as you care for and about others. See to the strength and well being of your spirit as well as all the rest of you. Your spirit must be strong for you to be successful.

Call or write if I may be of any service... Or if you just want to encourage me... Feedback encourages all who write... It helps to know we are reaching someone who reads the message.

My daughter, Donna, is experiencing a lot of pain in the area of the new wound because we had to see the surgeon on Wednesday to clean up and debried the wound to make it easier to get to some new trouble spots that I had found. We will probably have some more cutting and trimming on Monday because it needed more than she could take all at one time. Thank you for your prayers, support and concern.
This new wound will take a good while to close by normal means so my return to the streets is postponed until we can get it into a better condition.

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 them, 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...
For God, Country and the Peace Keeper...

D. R. (Don) Staton, Chaplain to Peace Keepers,
Surviving Peace Keeper,
Virginia State Police Alumni,
RETIRED Police Officer Virginia Beach Police Dept.,
Senior Chaplain and Chaplain Administrator VBPD,
DCJS Certified Police Instructor,
Community Service Officer (Traffic Safety) VBPD
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.