“… I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia against all enemies, whomsoever, foreign or domestic, to the best of my ability… So help me, God!” (That is a commitment and a prayer!)
I said it the first time in Richmond, Virginia, in July 1962 as I was sworn in and sent to field training. I said it again in mid-December 1962 on the day of my graduation from the Virginia State Police Academy just outside Richmond in Midlothian, Virginia. Then I said it again here in Virginia Beach in April 1977 when I graduated from the Virginia Beach Auxiliary Police Academy… And I still carry a copy of it in my ID case so that I will never forget what I said and what it means.
Along this Journey I have seen far too much to ever tell it all. I have faced more dangers than most minds can comprehend. I have handled and assisted in far more crisis and arrest situations than I want to remember. In the last few weeks and months as I have been worn down by the duty of caring for my adult, ill, disabled daughter with the serious wound problems, I have grown so tired that I have been ready many times to chuck it all and seek some literal, physical place of quiet and solitude far away from people, telephones, media communications and computers. I long for peace and quiet some place where I cannot be reached and inundated with all of the goings on of the world… I know just such a physical place… But I cannot go there, yet!… The only place of Peace and Solitude for me in these times is in the Spirit Realm of the Kingdom of God when I fasten my mind and heart on Him and escape the demands of the present world in prayer, thanksgiving, adoration and praise… And, sometimes, sleep! That place of solitude is available to me anytime I will stop my activity in the world, withdraw from the world, and go into it with and in Him.
Much of the news of our times says we are heading for this or that crisis as a people and as a Nation. I am well aware of all of the possibilities in our futures. I have not lived in a vacuum… I see, I hear and I know… But I do not worry about any of the possibilities. With what I have seen and experienced throughout the Journey of my life, I still do not see anything that is threatening enough for me to worry about. I have faced crowds, mobs, people who wanted to do me great harm and some who wanted to, and tried to, kill me… Yet I am still here and have received only two small scratches in this 48 year Journey.
I know you, the Peace Keepers. I know myself. I know my Commander-In-Chief. I know my Eternal Captain. I have learned all of my lessons well… Maybe not the first time, but I get re-treaded by my Eternal Keeper, Instructor and Guide until I do get the lesson well… He never lets me off nor lets up on me until I learn and apply what I have learned. I know that I can depend upon Him to continue His efforts for and with me and for all that concerns me and my life… That includes my Nation and whatever good I might be able to do to and for it.
I also prepare myself and my resources as best I am able. I train and practice. I plan for inevitabilities and if it be the will of my Commander-In-Chief, I will follow those plans to a useful conclusion.
He has also guided me in the knowledge and resources for the healing and tending of my daughter’s medical problems… And He is restoring my endurance and stamina.
Life… Defined by me as… “Those things that happen to us while we are making plans”… Will go on for as long as the Creator wants it to continue. Man can and will do many things to hinder His plan and design. Many of us are like children in that aspect. Some people want something different just for the sake of change… Or just because it is different than what He wants… Then, when we cause changes, we do not like the change. Politics lives on the promise of bringing about changes. Change just for the sake of change is not good. I learned long ago that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
Improve it if you can but do not throw it out just for the sake of change. Learn new ways to do things, OK! Learn by study and improvement on current knowledge, procedures and methods, OK! But change just for change sake, that’s not sensible. I know that there must be some changes made but they must be changes that the people can understand, implement and live with… If they are not like that then there will be unrest and dissatisfaction… And that will lead to internal problems for the people and for the Nation altogether… And that will not work well… That seems to be where we, as a Nation, are today… But I refuse to worry. I will listen… I will learn… I will study… I will see what is mine to do and I will do it to the best of my ability. If all citizens do that, then we will get it all done well and learn to have the best way of life that is available to us in this Nation for the current time.
I have had several very deeply moving experiences in the past few days. My tired body and tired mind need to be re-motivated daily… These experiences moved me and it seemed as though I was being melted and re-cast… This re-casting was brought on by things I saw and by things I remembered… The old resolve and determination returned. The understanding that it was not time for me to quit nor retire returned. The knowledge that I would return to the field one day again also returned. I must continue to do what I can do while it is still today. Tomorrow and all tomorrows after it will bring other things for me to learn and to do for as long as my Journey here continues…. And as long as it continues, you, the Peace Keepers, will continue to be priority in my efforts and my goals of praying, writing, working learning and doing.
Today, in a training class, I heard a question and discussion that reiterated for me the words I use in the close of my weekly message to you… I gave that message to the concerned questioner… Always be alert, watchful, suspicious and wary!
No one can keep you safe in any circumstance unless you are practicing good tactical thinking and activity yourself!… NO ONE!!!… So, as I wind down today, THANK YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE AND FOR WHAT YOU DO. WE WOULD HAVE NO WORLD AS WE KNOW IT TODAY IF YOU WERE NOT THERE DOING YOUR DUTY AND COMMITMENT! YOU ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF OUR FOUNDATION UPON WHICH THIS LIFE WE HAVE TODAY IN THIS NATION IS BUILT. If it had not been for the Peace Keepers who volunteered to fight for our independence and our freedom, this Nation would never have been established. If it had not been for all of those Peace Keepers who have served in all of the different capacities in the military and law enforcement since that establishment we would not be here today. If it were not for you who are here now in those peace keeping capacities we would not continue to be here and move into a future. My Commander-In-Chief and I eternally appreciate your dedication and your service.
Often you face seemingly impossible situations and bring peace and success. I have marveled all these years at what I have seen individual and small numbers of Peace Keepers achieve. Our future, as a Nation, is secure because you are there. You responded to a call deep within because you could do no other and be satisfied. You, all of you past and current Peace Keepers, have done a tremendous job for all of us. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!
“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.
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 Administrative Chaplain VBPD,
DCJS Certified Police Instructor,
Community Service Officer (Traffic Safety) VBPD
Blackwater Alumni
757-431-2190, chpln1@verizon.net
3709 Beacon Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23452
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Thank you very much for your insertion. I will pray for you and your daughter. Your article always encourages and inspires me.
I really enjoyed you letter on Alert! My Mother-in-Law is Saundra Sides Harrison, I heard so much about you and the energy she gives off when she talks about you is as hypnotizing as your article.
I have heard glorious things about you and wish that maybe someday I can meet you. Could I ask you to pray for Rocky, Jr and I. With all the things that happened to me and my children in the past when he was drinking, some say I am crazy to come back but he his so blessed to be alive and now he is that good man i fell in love with 10 years ago. I have prayed constantly through all of our up and downs these past 10 years that God give me Will to Forgive and I did, but sometimes something will trigger an old bad memory and I get real upset and I have to to pray XTRA hard for TRUST! I just seem to think he is always somewhere he shoudn’t be and find myself still worrying about where he is at. Please pray for us separately and as a husband & Wife.
Thank you so much, I look forward to hearing back from you!
God Bless!
Gina Gay Harrison
Greetings and thank you so much for your letters. I am a long time Believer who recognizes the reality of human evil and the moral responsibility to respond to it as such. Only once have I had to draw a pistol to protect myself and another. I believe God approves of self-defence of self or others. I am trying to reconcile my desire to be willing to take up arms in order to protect our constitutional republic against domestic enemies, especially corrupt officials. Where can I derive a biblically sound philosophy which regards political corruption as a “capital crime,” that is, to be responded to with deadly threat? Self defence, sure, resistance to brutality, yes, but creeping abdication of constitutional submission by governing authorities? I’m very serious about this as I believe on one hand if it isn’t direct violence I must wait but on the other hand to wait or retreat to a hopeless position is foolish and counter-productive. I would appreciate your thoughts. Logan