Our Special Operations personnel of the USBO are consummate professionals; they hold their head up high and do their job while they protect this nation, even though in some cases, they have to deal with insults and injuries from projectiles and other explosives thrown at them. I worry about the constant stressors that are piling up along the way. Special Operations personnel are not immune to stress, even though they can deal with it much better than the population at large. Our personnel are conducting operations frequently and far away.
Morale Boosters appeared just at the right time this year and opened up another window to assist our efforts to increase Resiliency within the organization. Tom reached out to us with a great can-do attitude and wanted to thank our guys for their service and what they do, particularly after he heard about what our guys were going through with civil disturbance operations in places like Portland. He got Morale Boosters to sign postcards of thanks for all our operators and we distributed them through the different units. These acts of kindness with a spiritual message that Jesus loves and supports them, and that there is a whole community praying for them and their families, might seem trivial to some, but it is powerful. Our special operators do not ask for much, but knowing that people care for them is truly amazing. Morale Boosters sent a Thank You Banner, Peacemaker Bibles (that our operators can fit in their uniform pockets), and a snow cone machine that was a hit for one of our graduating classes.
We are blessed that Tom called us. Morale Boosters’ efforts positively impacted our organization’s resiliency efforts in a short amount of time. I wholeheartedly support this organization’s mission and duty to selfless service for those who proudly protect our nation.
Over the years I have worked to create relationships with our communities to find support and encouragement for the men and women who put their lives on the line for our country. Whether it be for our Military Veterans or our Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs), I have found it difficult to garner what our troops need. The culture that surrounds so much of our politics and way of life is concentrated here in San Diego, California. The normative way is to keep secret what an LEO does, the sacrifices they make. As one can imagine, this shrinks the actual community an LEO lives in; who one can trust, share life with, and bond with is restricted to just a handful of people. What comes as consequences to the evaporating community is chronic stress, relational issues, home wreckage, and a lack of morale to do the job one must do. (LEOs have and continue to live a life of quarantine that only now the rest of the world can appreciate). This is why I have leaned on the Morale Boosters since meeting them almost a year ago from the writing of this letter. The little things can be overlooked by the greater community like appreciation and gratitude, putting smiles on stone faces, and tears around vacant eyes. For many, the simple thank-you cards from Morale Boosters have done more than any other form of morale boosting that has come from within the Patrol.
There has been so much turmoil in our country. So much hate and ignorance has made children into arrogant creatures that carry with them such strife. There have been so many who have shouted what they believe to be great ideas, while never touching foot on the battlefields. As a Chaplain and an Agent, I am on the same sinking boat as the other LEOs and I am being asked to bring hope. If not for God, I could not do this job that He has called me to. I have been called a Nazi, I have lost relationships, and I have seen my family suffer for what I do. And my story is not unique. This is why I believe the best way to break the strife is to create relationships and grow the size of our community. The best place to start is where we can place our trust. It is my hope that Morale Boosters finds a place in your church where we, LEOs, can place our trust. Where we can speak on the issues and trust we will not only be heard, but accepted into the community.
These have been difficult years for everyone, but it has been especially hard on the Law Enforcement community. With the movement to defund the police and the violent attacks on Police all over the country, this is the lowest I have seen morale in my 25 years with the Los Angeles Police Department. Officers who swore an oath to “Protect and to Serve” have dedicated their lives to this noble profession have been villainized by the media.
In 2015, I was introduced to Tom Langan of Morale Boosters by a fellow Officer who was on a recruiting trip at Camp Pendleton. Tom was there providing “morale boosts” to Marines and he expressed his desire to include Law Enforcement officers as well. Over the past eight years, Tom has provided unwavering support of our Officers with hundreds of handwritten thank-you cards, banners, treats, Peacemaker Bibles, and other encouraging items. All he has done has been greatly appreciated. It truly is impressive to see the passion that Tom and all the members of Morale Boosters have for lifting the spirits of the Law Enforcement community. We can't thank them enough for their support, especially during this difficult time.
To my brothers and sisters in law enforcement, keep your head held high. We are the reason why a civilized society can exist.
"Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid." President Ronald Reagan