My name is Kevin Valentine, I am an Army veteran previously stationed out of Ft. Lewis Washington. My inspiration for Deus Belli Armory originated from my time at my Unit. I was apart of A.Co. 5th Battalion 20th Infantry Regiment of the 2nd Infantry Division. I was deployed to Afghanistan from December of 2011 to December 2012. As our deployment was coming to end, our Unit put together an original logo that would be engraved onto a commemorative Sig Sauer p250. That logo, as well as the time I spent with my Company was the basis for my inspiration. I decided on the spot that I would take that logo and use it to open a gunsmithing/firearms shop in dedication to the Men and Women I had served with, as well as people we had lost during our deployment. Upon returning to the States I was unsure as to who had been the one actually drew the logo. After I had ETS'd from the Army I began working to fulfill my promise I had made to myself. After establishing my Business with the State of Oklahoma, where I currently live, along with all the paperwork needed, I could finally begin conducting the gunsmithing side of my Business, until eventually one day a very nice lady reached out to me inquiring about the logo, and why I had changed the bottom of the logo (which had normally said, "Attack", which had been our Unit motto when saluting) to, "Armory". Only someone affiliated with my previous Unit would know that information regarding the logo, and so I replied. I responded saying something along the lines of, "thank you for reaching out," and proceeded to explain my story. She then informed me that her Husband, Major Thomas Fluke had been the one who created the logo. Back then, he was known as Captain Fluke, and had been our Company Commander. (Needless to say, his promotion to Major is well deserved.) Him and Mrs. Fluke then gave me their blessing to use the logo and wished me the best of luck for my Company. The thought of that still makes me feel elated to this day. They then informed me that although he had been the one to put together the commemorative handgun, he himself was never able to obtain one due to logistical obligations of transitioning from Afghanistan back to the States. Which leads me to present day. As it is just me, I do not have the funds and resources to rent a larger space to begin doing more customization work like laser engraving. I also want to make a custom pistol complete with our original Unit logo to give to Major and Mrs. Fluke, as it just doesn't feel right that I received one but he didn't, when he was the one who made all that effort. I want to move to a larger space, and I want to hire on another Employee or two so my Shop, OUR Shop can give back to the community, while also supporting the Constitution of the United States, and our right to keep and bare arms. Please help me keep my promise to Major and Mrs. Fluke. Please help me keep my promise to the Men and Women I served with, as well the ones who never made it back home. Please help me support the Community, and all the Men and Women both Active Duty and Veteran. Any amount helps. Thank you so much in advance!
-Kevin Valentine (Owner/Operator of Deus Belli Armory)
