hi all, i'm jared. who am i, you ask? i'm a Marine, a cop, a biker, a musician, a systems engineer and just another joe traveling down this road we call. i like a glass of good wine just as much as going out for a beer. i suppose i'm what you would call an enigma. i don't fit any stereotype (by any stretch of the imagination). i command respect and give it where it is due. i am strong willed and confident but i'm still pretty fun. i have bit of a darker side, but you can figure that out when you get to know me. i have a big heart, and i am extremely loyal to those who are closest to me. i consider myself fairly articulate, and fairly intelligent. And of course, where would I be without God in my life? God is the most important thing in my life! but running a close second is my soul mate, Jules. she is an amazing woman!! Check her out HERE!


PROFILE OF A POLICE OFFICER - By Andy
He stands on a busy corner in the community that he protects. Although he is surrounded by people, he is isolated. People walk by and see only the uniform, the badge, or the duty belt loaded down with the tools of his trade. He is either the asshole who gave them a ticket, or the angel, who rescued them from a volatile situation. He is rarely seen as a regular man just doing a job he is passionate about. He has completed rigorous training aimed at keeping himself, his fellow officers, and the public safe. In addition to this training, he may have a college degree. Although his training has been meticulous, the best education he has comes from veteran officers and experience on the street. On the street, he sees humankind at its worst. He routinely deals with the dregs of society and the broken victims left in the wake of their destructive behavior. The battered children, the broken women, and the bodies of dead innocents are an all too common sight for him. These and other horrific images are burned into his brain and etched upon his soul. Despite this he is expected to be pleasant and courteous while making a traffic stop or dealing with the public in general. The public, however, is not restrained by such expectations. This officer of the law has been repeatedly told how to or how not to do his job by the citizens he protects. Yet, none are willing to take on his job. The desciption of his job is "to uphold and enforce the law." This does not begin to cover the many roles a police officer must perform on any given day. He must be a mediator, a social worker, a counselor to the traumatized, a babysitter of neglected children, a guardian of the helpless, a mentor to the young, and an educator of personal safety. He gives his all to make a difference in the lives of others. Yet, he is a study in self-sacrifice. He rarely gets to eat a warm meal, and when he does it is usually interrupted by someone who doesn't mean to bother him, but does so anyway. While working overtime, he deprives his family of his time. Many officers sacrifice their marriages and family life into non-existance. Yet, he is asked to overlook his pain and loss. People think of him as a cynical hardass, but what they do not know is that he is driven by a fear. It is not the fear of being shot or hurt on the job, as most sane people would fear, but the fear of not being able to help someone who can not help themselves. It is this fear that compels him to don his uniform everyday. So maybe the next time you encounter a police officer, you will look beyond the badge to the man inside the uniform. Just a man doing his best to serve and protect you.

Many people have asked me questions about my job, the who's, what's, where's, when's and more often than not the why's. Most of the time I just look at them and smile knowing that they would not understand if I tried to explain all of it. I have never been able to. So after a long time this came to me and it is a start in the effort to better understand who we are, that person in the uniform that you see everyday and you usually will make some colorful remark about. WE WORK BECAUSE OF YOU! We believe that you deserve a better life and we sacrifice much of our own to that purpose and that purpose alone. We don't ask for money or prestige...only alittle respect. An honest "Thank You" from someone means more to a police officer than anything. So this holiday season when your with your family and friends.... take a moment and think about the officer out on the street trying to make sure you have the things that you cherish the most.
It is more than a job that we do.....



THE MARINE

We all came together,
Both young and old
To fight for our freedom,
To stand and be bold.

In the midst of all evil,
We stand our ground,
And we protect our country
From all terror around.

Peace and not war,
Is what some people say.
But I'll give my life,
So you can live the American way.

I give you the right
To talk of your peace.
To stand in your groups,
and protest in our streets.

But still I fight on,
I don't bitch, I don't whine.
I'm just one of the people
Who is doing your time.

I'm harder than nails,
Stronger than any machine.
I'm the immortal soldier,
I'm a U.S. MARINE!

So stand in my shoes,
And leave from your home.
Fight for the people who hate you,
With the protests they've shown.
Fight for the stranger,
Fight for the young.
So they all may have,
The greatest freedom you've won.

Fight for the sick,
Fight for the poor
Fight for the cripple,
Who lives next door.

But when your time comes,
Do what I've done.
For if you stand up for freedom,
You'll stand when the fight's done.

By: Corporal Aaron M. Gilbert, US Marine Corps
USS SAIPAN, PERSIAN GULF