News and Gunslingers

Today we finally got some long awaited good news about Agent L. We knew yesterday that she went into surgery, but we found out today that it went well. At this point all we are getting is second and third hand information as to what all took place and what her prognosis is. Agent S is off the heavy medication and is taking the over the counter stuff to quell the pain. I have not heard anything recent about Agent M and therefore will not comment on her current condition. Even amongst all this good news, all three still need our prayers.

Now, on to other business. I believe it is time for me to explain some things. First, the title. "The Chronicles of a South Carolina Gunslinger.” As far as I can tell everything in the title is self-explanatory except for the last word in the sentence. If you need help with "Chronicles" and "South Carolina" let me know and I will explain further. Let us move on to Gunslinger. As the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition is posted in the Profile, I will skip ahead to my definition of a Gunslinger. This comes a great deal from Stephen King's The Dark Tower series and the main character, Roland Deschain. To put it simply a Gunslinger is a romanticized knight with pistols or revolvers (minus the cumbersome shiny steel plating) and is proficient with these weapons and the weapons they are.

Taking this further a Gunslinger needs to be able to handle any situation that is set before them (within human capability). Most of these situations would send most crying off. These select few stand boldly (but not stupidly) in the face of danger. The use of the tools on their hips is used only as a last resort, but will be used without hesitation.

What most call weapons or guns, in the hands of these few are tools, tools that are designed to do a job. That job, despite popular belief, is not to kill. The job is to move a projectile from point A to point B. Like any tool it can kill, injure, or destroy anything that is either between Point and A and B or is point B.

This brings us to the second point I would like to discuss. I have placed the Litany of the Gunslinger on this page. This is straight from the mind of Stephen King. The idea of it is first used in the first book of The Dark Tower series and is actually stated in the second book. The Litany is a mindset that is ingrained into every Gunslinger apprentice in the books written by Stephen King. This mind set shows the apprentices that their revolvers are not just tools or inanimate objects but an extension of themselves. It also serves to focus the mind.

Moving away for Stephen King for the moment, we arrive at the third point. "Semper Fi Deus." To put it bluntly this is obviously an addition to the United States Marine Corp slogan, "Semper Fidelis" or translated to "Always Faithful." Semper Fi is the shortened form of Semper Fidelis. Now, in a witty play on words I added the Latin word for God or "Deus." Thus, creating "Semper Fi Deus" or "Always Faithful to God." I know this is not a literal translation, but it sounds good to me.

I realize that this may have been done by someone else out in this massive world, however, I have yet to hear it or see it come from anyone else but me. Therefore, I claim it.

Long days and pleasant nights.

Goose
Semper Fi Deus

Of Updates and Statistics

Okay, it has been a long week, but even more so for three of my co-workers. Here is an update on how they are doing:

Agent M as you all know was treated and released the day of the collision. However, since then she was taken back to the Emergency Room due to chronic pain related to the collision. She was diagnosed with severe whiplash, and is in short, really hurting.

Agent S has been moved out of the Intensive Care Unit and been placed in a room. She has a cracked Larynx, a bruised Trachea, bruised vocal cords, and some bruising on the brain (I am unsure as to which part). Since the last I heard she was actually able to swallow a little bit of liquids and some food and is in general doing better.

Agent L is still not doing very well. She is still in the Neural Intensive Care Unit due to some bleeding on the brain. She has multiple broken bones in her face. I do not know if this is good or bad news, but she is no longer in a Chemical induced coma. The concoction apparently reacted badly with her heart. However, she is able to communicate now with her family (via hand signals and writing). So, I am going to go with good, despite the pain she must now be feeling.

The driver of the other vehicle is also in the hospital. I am unsure as to her status, but she is still in the hospital.

All four women need fervant prayer. They and their families need the peace of that only the Lord Jesus can bring.

Since this collision I have thought a great deal about the most dangerous aspects of my job and Law Enforcement as a whole. According to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Home Page, 133 Law Enforcement Personnel died in the line of duty in 2008. Of that number 71 were killed in some sort of traffic related incident and only 39 were killed by firearms. This is apparently down significatly from 2007, where 83 Officers were killed by TRI's and 68 to firearms. According to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 41,059 died in 2007 in traffic "accidents". Of those Fatal "accidents" Law Enforcement made up 0.002%.

So, what do I hope you all take away from these Statistics and the after affects of one crash? Do you need to ask? I want you to SLOW DOWN! I want you to wear a seat belt! I want you to call your friends to come pick you up when you have had to many alcoholic beverages! I want you to stop talking on your cell phone, for the love of all things sacred, DO NOT TEXT AND DRIVE!! It takes far to much conscentration away from the road, no matter how good you think you are. Five more minutes stuck behind the wheel of your car, is favorable to spending a week or months in the hospital.

This Public Service Anouncement is brought to you by...
Goose
Semper Fi Deus

Five Minutes

In most of the blogs that I have read (which is not that many) they generally start with an explanation of the title of the Blog, or begin with a background of who they are. In the days that I was contemplating posting a Blog, I thought of many ways to begin, of what to write, and even whether or not I should. However, the events of today have solidified my decision to many of these questions.

Today started out just like any other day. The sharp blair of the alarm clock before sun even decides to awake. A long warm shower, and as of late, a bible study. After that, on certain days, I go through the ritual (Iwill go into this in a later blog).

As I arrived at my office I met up with my friend and fellow Gunslinger, whom some of you may know as Law Officer Casey. We chatted as we walked into the door and as I awaited the arrival of the rest of the team. Today, the team would be comprised of Agent M, Agent S, Agent L, Agent A, and myself. (Names have been changed for Privacy)

On these oh so special days a team of Agents volunteer to go out and serve warrants. Today would be a little different from the normal routine of just going out and serving warrants in that we would be going out with the US Marshall's taskforce.

As we received our instructions for the day, I steeled myself to the possibilities of what might happen at these houses. I started running through scenarios. The thought never crossed my mind to steel myself for what could happen between them.

As we headed out my fellow Agents and I received our car assignment. I would be the driver of the first car. Riding with me would be a Agent A and a member of the Marshall's taskforce (Marshall #1). The driver of the second car would be the other member of the Marshall's taskforce (the only other member working with us that is, Marshall #2) and the other three Agents.

As we were getting into the cars Marshall #2 decided that he needed to get something from inside that he forgot. The Marshall that I was driving decided not to wait for him. He informed his co-worker that we would drive on to the house and case the joint. It was a long twenty minute drive to find the address where we were going. Once we found it I drove the car back to the nearest Handee Mart parking lot and waited for the other car to catch up.

As we waited, Marshall #1 turned up the volume on his walkie talkie and muttered under his breath, "That's not good." Upon hearing this, my mind is suddenly jerked from my mental preparations to the real world. I asked him what was up and he simply replied, "That was my partner on the radio." As he was answering I heard the call from Marshall #2 to the dispatcher once again. As I listened, I did not detect any signs of stress or urgency in his voice. As I heard the dispatcher answer the Marshall's call. Nothing from Marshall #2 though. I then heard a second call the Marshall #2 time, and then again a third time, I put the car in drive. Something had happened.

Just before I moved my foot from the brake to the gas I heard a Taskforce Supervisor come over the radio in the Marshall's place. He basically stated that the Marshall had been in a traffic accident and there was injuries. My heart sank. I did not hear the rest of the transmission over the roar of the Crown Victoria's V8 engine.

What had taken five minutes one way only took two the other. But, it was a very long two minutes. Despite no lights or siren. I looked in the back and told Agent A to call one of our Supervisors and advise them of the situation.

As I pulled up to a red light, we saw a local Police department patrol car scream into the intersection and turn the way we were heading. We watched as he slowed to a stop at the crest of the next hill. As the light turned green, I willed the cars in front to move aside, but to no avail.

As our car neared the crest of the hill, we saw more flashing lights of Patrol cars and arriving Fire Trucks surround the scene of the collision. When I pulled along side the collision, Agent A and myself noted that all of our fellow agents were still in the vehicle, but the Marshall was not. I pulled on the side of the road and parked, already steeling myself to the carnage that would met us in the other vehicle.

As Agent A and myself neared the vehicle, I saw with glee that the others where awake and moving, kind of, but moving. I looked for the Marshall #2 as Agent A went to check on our co-workers. I found the other Marshall checking on the other Driver. Come to find out that he was checking on the person who had caused the collision. Marshall #2 had a nasty laceration on the back of his head that was still bleeding.

The next few minutes melted into an hour. When I attempted to check on my fellow Agents, I quickly decided against it, as a swarm of Emergency personnel descended upon the vehicles. Agent A was quickly pushed aside and came over to me as he called our Supervisor back to give him an update. I stood in the median feeling two feet tall. As a Gunslinger I am always in control of a situation. You lose control people die. Here was a situation that I could not control, I had to stop myself from rushing into the midst and demanding answers. I had honestly never been so helpless in my career. I just repeated to myself over and over, "Let the Professionals do their job."

As time wore on I was informed that the injured Agents and Marshall #2 would have to be transported to the hospital. They would live, but we would not learn the extent of their injuries here. I found out from Agent A that we were tasked with gathering and inventorying the injured Agents equipment. We did as we was told. While Agents where being loaded onto stretchers and carted to awaiting Ambulances, we coaxed EMT's to allow us to gather gun belts, Vests, flashlights, and paperwork.

After everything was gathered one of our supervisors would arrive on scene and ask for an update. As the Ambulance doors where being closed, Agent A was told to ride with them. He jumped into the back and off he went. I asked the Supervisor what he wanted me to do and was told to go back to office and make sure the equipment was accounted for then secure them.

What?! My friends where not at the office, they were at the hospital! They're equipment was accounted for, inventoried, and very secure in the truck of my car. But, I did as I was told. I made sure Marshall #1 had another ride and had another long ride back to the office.

Once at the office, I inventoried the gear, the weapons, and the ammo. I went as far as to label the piles for each agent. I then called the on scene supervisor and updated him and asked for further instructions. He told me I was done for the day, "Go Home." Go home? Another series of things to say ran through my head, but in the end I would do as I was told. But first, I went to my upstairs office and was greeted by some very worried Agents. I relayed what I saw and was told. Fears releaved I went home and began to pray.

Hours later I would get an update. Agent M was treated and released. Agent S apparently hit her neck on the lowered cage (The cage seperating the front seat from the back). She has a bruised laranyx, trachea, and lots of swelling in her throat. She will be spending the night in ICU to make sure she's okay.

Agent L took it the worst. She caught the lowered cage with her cheek and jaw. I don't know the full extent of the damage, but from what I know, several bones in her face are broken, with bone fragments floating around in the swelling. She is currently in a chemically induced coma until next monday. Hopefully by then the swelling will have gone down enough to allow the doctors to do surgery.

During the events of this day I realize that the differece is only Five Minutes. Five Minutes differed between my car and their car. Through this day I have wished, nay, pleaded that It should have been me, not them in the hospital.

If Marshall #2 had not gone back for what ever, then none of this would have happened. If the other drive had not decided that their Five Minutes was too important to wait, then none of this would have happened.

But, let's stop and think. What did this prevent. Sure, four of my friends went to the hospital today, two of which are still there as I type. One may not wake. But for now all are alive. What could have happened if we got to the house and attempted the warrant. The guy could have seen us drive by, gotten his guns and laid in ambush. The place my have been rigged to blow. It may not have been at that house. Maybe, through this someone else's life was saved in the Five minutes that it took them to get through traffic. I do not know.

However, I know who does know. The Lord Jesus Christ. Through this day I have begged, pleaded, ranted, raved, and gotten on my knees. In this I have found that Jesus Christ knows the difference in Five Minutes. I don't know how this incident will turn out. But he knows and that is all I need.

I only ask from those of you who might read this to pray for the two Agents in the Hospital tonight. Pray for the one who is at home, and Pray for Marshall #2. God only knows what he is going through at the moment. I know he must be blaming himself for what happened.

Semper Fi Deus
Goose

PS- I know you must be tired of seeing me type, but I don't want anyone getting me wrong. I write this only to set the record straight and to get my thoughts out there. As I watched the news tonight I found the true incompetence of the local news media revolting. The media got there in time to see one of the Agents pulled from the car and went from there (even managed to get the Agency wrong). The two more seriously injured Agents aren't even mentioned.