Army Colonel Lance E. served as a Logistics Officer and, in late 2005, deployed to Iraq with the advance team for his unit, also known as the “Ready First” Brigade Combat Team. When the brigade arrived in northern Iraq, they had not quite settled in before being moved to Ramadi in Al Anbar Province. At that time, Ramadi was a hotbed of insurgency.
The Brigade Combat Team received attachments from other Army units as well as a reinforced Marine Infantry Battalion—nearly 8,000 soldiers and Marines—and they were tasked with taking back the city. The fighting was heavy, and losses were great, “but never once did an operation suffer for lack of equipment or supplies,” recalled Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland in a letter for Lance’s retirement ceremony.
As the city was being won, the Sunni Awakening began, and the brigade was in charge of supporting the new Iraqi men pouring into auxiliary units and the police force. MacFarland, the brigade commander at that time, said, “General Petraeus, when he took command, came to Ramadi to see how we were doing it and adopted our SOPs for the rest of the forces that participated in the Surge.”
Beyond the logistical hurdles Lance faced daily, he was trained in mortuary affairs and stepped in when the team was overwhelmed to ensure the fallen soldiers’ remains were treated with the utmost honor and care. Staff Sergeant Will B. was serving as a Mortuary Affairs Specialist during that time and worked closely with Lance. Sergeant First Class LeRoy P., a Vehicle Maintenance Supervisor and veteran of the Bosnian conflict, offered to help Lance and Will. LeRoy said, “I’d rather do that job myself than ask one of my younger soldiers.”
In April 2024, these three united after 17 years apart for the Freedom Alliance Offshore Experience in Costa Rica. But this program is designed for groups of four or more, and so when Freedom Alliance asked Lance to invite one more comrade, he had someone special in mind.
Army Lieutenant Colonel Hank T., who also served in Ramadi during that time as an Engineering Officer, joined the trio. They had crossed paths in Iraq, but other life circumstances have brought them together again: Lance’s son and Hank’s daughter, both officers in the Army, are engaged to be married.
Arriving at Los Sueños on a Monday afternoon, the men checked into their lodgings for the week—two beautiful condos, donated by Gerald and Virginia Lindholm, William Mahaffey, and Danny Esterline. Los Sueños, located on the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, is a resort community of 20-plus gated neighborhoods along Herradura Bay and boasts a world-class marina.
The next morning, the men started checking off the animal watchlist while parking their golf carts, donated by Gato Gordo Golf Cart Sales & Rentals. The Marina Village’s resident sloth was within sight and even showing his face! Then during breakfast, the restaurant manager approached us to let us know that scarlet macaws were not too far away, and we walked to the almond tree, where a pair were enjoying their own breakfast.
Afterwards, we exited the gates of Los Sueños and drove about an hour south to hike in the Rain Maker Nature Preserve. The hike consists of a well-kept trail that winds along a river with waterfalls and swimming holes. The men spotted poison dart frogs, lizards, and even a deadly eyelash viper coiled in the branches of a sapling. We got photos … but with a long lens.
Later that day, we began the first in a series of seven structured talks about how warriors can bear the burdens of war. We would complete a session or two each day throughout the week.
That evening, Simon Lempke treated the men to the finest restaurant in Los Sueños: Lanterna Italian Steakhouse and Garden. Simon got involved with Freedom Alliance after hearing about our program and offered to host dinners for our groups whenever he’s in Costa Rica. A resident of Wyoming, Simon and his wife live part-time in Costa Rica, and they take charitable giving very seriously.
Jim Smith of Symbia Logistics donated back-to-back days on his 60-foot Hatteras GT, Black Smith, captained by Dave Harris. Jim has been involved with Freedom Alliance since 2015, when he learned about our work at Los Sueños.
On the first day, the skies were overcast, which makes for pleasant temperatures. The first catch went to Lance, who reeled in a mahimahi. Throughout the day, we caught six sailfish, allowing for each member of the group to reel one in—their first billfish! We headed back to the docks in the evening and took the mahi to be prepared at the Hook Up restaurant in the Marina Village.
The next day’s fishing wasn’t as successful, but we began the morning catching live bait. The plan was to spend half the day looking for a black marlin—a gamble, but one that pays big, if it pays off. We watched as the bonito took off several times, frightened of some predator in the water, but had no luck. We then decided to use the remainder of the bait, hoping to catch a few tuna. We found a pod, but already pressured by other boats, none were biting. Nevertheless, it was a gorgeous partly cloudy day, and the pods of dolphins we encountered put on a show.
Jim Kitchell, owner of Costa Cat Cruises, donated a private tour on their smaller catamaran. The captain took us out of Herradura Bay for a coastal cruise, along the beaches and landscapes north of Los Sueños, featuring both black- and white-sand beaches. We stopped at Playa Lemoncita, and the men jumped out of the boat to enjoy a bit of snorkeling in the warm Pacific waters.
One fun ritual we performed was inspired by an old photo of LeRoy, Lance, and Will just before their final leg of travel to Iraq. We ended up shooting several variations of the same pose in different locations around Costa Rica, including in front of a waterfall, at the marina, and just before snorkeling.
We at Freedom Alliance have known Lance for some years, having first met him in 2019, when he was in his final term at Fort Lee, Virginia. He was thrilled when we reached out to him with the opportunity to choose the other veterans who would accompany him on this adventure in Costa Rica.
Besides being fun and memorable, the event allows warriors to share the things they tend keep to themselves, in a setting with others who experienced similar trials—an opportunity that shows these warriors that they are not alone. All in all, for those who experienced the horrors of Ramadi, Iraq (2005–7)—horrors that they live with and carry to this day—this week was a timely reunion and a chance to lay those burdens down.
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