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At SFACon and SOAR 2025, the brotherhood of Special Forces was alive and well in Las Vegas.
In October, members of the Special Forces Association and Special Operations Association gathered in Las Vegas for a week of meetings, reunions, and remembrance. This report offers a look inside one day at SFACon and SOAR 2025, where old bonds were renewed and new memories made.
By Debra Holm
This year the Special Forces Association Convention (SFACon) took place alongside the Special Operations Association Reunion (SOAR) from October 13 to 17, 2025, at the Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The event brought together generations of Special Forces and Special Operations veterans for a reunion filled with stories, camaraderie, and shared history.
The week was packed with symposia, outings, and chances to reconnect. Speakers included COL (Ret.) Mark E. Mitchell, the first U.S. Army soldier to receive the Distinguished Service Cross since Vietnam; Delta Force veteran Glen “Nick” Nickel, who talked about his experience during Operation Eagle Claw; and SGM Charles “Chuck” Ritter (Ret.), who gave a visual overview of the Global War on Terror, linking the past and present of Special Forces missions. There was also a Vegas show, bowling night, scenic motorcycle ride, and silent auction, so there was something for everyone.
Arriving in Las Vegas
I arrived on Thursday afternoon, October 16. The first familiar face I saw at the registration desk was Bonnie Cooper, who was busy running things, supported by volunteers John Schroder of SFA Chapter 27 and Bill Kirby of Chapter 500. After getting my badge, I began exploring, hoping to find our chapter’s vice president, James McLanahan.
It wasn’t long before I ran into a few Chapter 78 friends—Jim Duffy and his guest Joe Choi, who were on their way to a presentation, and John Stryker Meyer, “Tilt,” along with former Chapter 78 members Brad Welker and John Joyce, who have both since joined the Las Vegas-based Chapter 51.
Bonnie Cooper taking care of business at the SFA registration desk.
Volunteers John Schroder of SFA Chapter 27 and Bill Kirby of Chapter 500 were on hand to assist with checking in and registration.
Gathering Stories and Familiar Faces
The hospitality suite was busy with people catching up, relaxing with friends, and enjoying the snacks provided. I met Nick Laurino of Chapter 500 and James “Doc” Phillips of Chapter 59, longtime friends chatting in a corner. I explained I was on a mission to gather information and photos for the Sentinel. That was all the invitation needed for a lively conversation.
Following Bonnie’s advice that the registration area was the best place to “catch people,” I returned to that hallway and soon crossed paths with Steve Sherman of Chapter 39 and his wife, Nguyet. Steve is well-known to many of us as the unofficial historian of Special Forces, always ready to help locate teammates or track down a missing connection. He shared news of his latest release, A Factual History of the Vietnam War and Its Aftermath, published in April. He later allowed me to browse a copy—and I can tell you it’s a must-read.
James “Doc” Phillips, left, and Nick Laurino, right.
Steve Sherman and his wife Nguyet
Joe and Jin Choi, guests of Chapter 78's Jim Duffy
Wandering downstairs, I spotted a rare sight—a shoe-shine stand. Two SOA members were getting their boots shined, and one, Gene Pugh, struck up a conversation when I mentioned I was with the Sentinel. Gene told me about the MedEvac podcast, on which he and Travis Mills were interviewed in a series of episodes which cover the history of MACV-SOG. I knew immediately that our readers would want to know about this.
Connections and Conversations
Back in the hospitality suite, the silent auction was in full swing. Among the items was Norma Donlon’s Soldiers Widow… Soldiers Wife… Soldiers Mother, a candid look at military family life through the eyes of a spouse and mother. We’d featured an excerpt from her book in the September issue of the Sentinel—and readers who attend Chapter 78’s upcoming Christmas party will meet Norma, who will be our guest speaker.
While browsing the auction items, I met Billy Hoopes of Chapter 0 in Florida and his wife, Helen. A longtime friend of John Meyer, Billy visited our Chapter 78 meeting in October 2019 and gave a memorable talk about Special Operations diving.
Taking more photos of the room, I noticed a man wearing a t-shirt with the striking logo for the convention’s annual motorcycle ride held earlier that day. His name was Dan Anderson (below, left), and he kindly shared photos from the ride for our readers. Since none of our chapter members typically attend this event, I was especially happy to be able include images of the ride this year. Though I’ve only ever been a passenger on a motorcycle, I could easily imagine the pleasure and beauty of that ride through the desert. I was grateful to be able to share the experience through his photos.
The SOAR Banquet
The SOAR banquet was the evening’s highlight. I sat with former Chapter 78 members Lonny Holmes, Brad Welker, and John Joyce (now members of Chapter 51). Lonny, who became the Sentinel editor in 2012, brought me on as the graphic designer at the same time. Working alongside him and witnessing the publication’s evolution under his leadership was an honor. He was right; attending the convention, which he encouraged, was well worth it.
The banquet was filled with unforgettable moments: a standing ovation for the Vietnamese warriors (including 219 Kingbee pilots), the moving TAPS video honoring the fallen (which earned an ovation for Clyde Sincere’s photo), and an inspiring keynote speech by Col. Scott White. I also met the Desert Oasis High School JROTC color guard, young Americans there to learn from the legacy of these men.
Left to right, Debra Holm, Lonny Holmes, Dave Toney, Bill McLain, Scott La Morte, John Joyce, and Brad Welker
Desert Oasis High School JROTC—LTC Archibald (Ret.), Cadet Crist, Cadet Ocegueda, Cadet Crowell, and Cadet Coronel.
Members of SFA Chapter 51 — left to right, Scot La Morte, Brad Welker, Bill McLain, Tom Sholtis, Dave Toney, and Lonny Holmes
A Story to Remember
I was scheduled to leave late in the day on Friday, so I still had time to spend. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I missed the General Membership meeting but did get to visit with Bonnie Cooper again and take a few more photos.
Throughout my visit, one experience stood out. I’d met Doc Phillips in the Hospitality Suite on Thursday. When I was visiting the registration desk on Friday, he approached me and said, “I have a story to tell you. It was a story that, while interrupted many times by friends stopping to say hello to Doc, traced through his military career—its ups and downs—and the way fate had guided him toward a life of great meaning and service.
As we spoke, he mentioned in passing an old National Geographic article from April 1968. Later, when I looked it up, I located the article and discovered Doc mentioned in the narrative. It described how, as a Special Forces medic at Dak Pek, he was the only “doctor” the Montagnards knew. One story recounted how he saved a newborn from being buried alive with its mother—a local custom after the mother’s death—by paying the father $50 to allow the child to live and be sent to a leprosarium in Kontum, which also cared for children.
Doc Phillips and Joe “China Boy” Lopez served together at Dak Pek.
People kept stopping to greet Doc while we talked. Some were men he had served with years ago; others had met him later and formed lasting friendships. One was the son of a fellow veteran who stopped to tell Doc, with tears in his eyes, how much his friendship had meant to his father—who was also at the event but too ill to walk the halls. Watching all of this, I realized just how many lives Doc had touched.
Doc’s story has really stayed with me. It seemed like his life was this great mix of going after what he wanted and just rolling with the punches, all while he was smoothing out his rough edges. He definitely made some tough, assertive choices, but other times he accepted opportunities that weren’t perfect, and all those twists and turns added up to the life he has now. He seemed genuinely content with where those experiences led him—satisfied with the way things turned out.
Reflections
As Bonnie Cooper had written in the convention’s promotional copy:
“No book can capture what it really means to be part of Special Forces—but your brothers can. At the Special Forces Association 2025 Convention, it’s not about reading history; it’s about living it again, together.
This is where stories are shared, bonds are renewed, and new memories are made. No rounds cracking overhead, no missions to plan—just time with the men who stood beside you then and still stand with you now.”
After a little more than 24 hours at SFACon and SOAR, I saw those words come to life. No matter the decade, the rank, or the distance — what endures is the brotherhood.
About the Author:
Debra Holm has served as the art director/graphic designer of Chapter 78’s Sentinel since February 2012, and is also Chapter 78’s webmaster and social media manager.
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