In Honor of all Servicemen and Servicewomen

Past, Present, Future

Cost of Freedom, Inc. 

Donors who make charitable contributions will receive an acknowledgement from Cost of Freedom, Inc. and may be eligible for a tax deduction on their income tax return.

Our fifth annual Cost of Freedom Weekend at the Army~Navy game has arrived with a theme of “Expect to Win.” This weekend is one in which we honor several Marines and Soldiers and their guests in a most memorable manner. This is also a weekend in which all attending USNA ’72 classmates of the 27th Company are able to come together. It is a weekend in which we all exhibit a little more patriotism, and finally, this is a weekend in which we will see an outstanding football game with full expectation of a Navy win over Army.

We know that our nation is safer as a result of U.S. service men and women going into harm’s way in the Iraq and Afghanistan. The fight for U.S. interests and freedom is a noble one, but unfortunately one that comes at a huge personal cost to those who have suffered wounds in battle. And the cost extends to the families of these courageous heroes. We are forever grateful for everything our service men and women do every day they are in uniform, and are attempting to give something back to those who are experiencing the 2010 Cost of Freedom Weekend with us. Their sense and expression of Honor, Commitment and Courage on the battlefield are a life’s lesson for all of us. We offer a passionate THANK YOU for all that you have done and hope your time with us makes a small positive difference in your lives.

There are a lot of variations of the theme “Expect to Win” that have, could or will serve us well in our lives. Expectation is that hope, anticipation or belief that something will happen. Several words can be substituted for the word “Win” in order to make this theme extremely dynamic. Words that come to mind are: Succeed; Survive; Excel; Get that Job; Heal from an Injury; Beat the Odds; Graduate; be Promoted; Overcome Adversity; and many more for varied situations. It requires hard work, resolute determination, a strong inner self, and support from family and friends to realize your expectation. Preparation along with a winning attitude allows one to Expect to Win and ultimately be successful. Our honored Marines and Soldiers, especially those who were wounded, are encouraged to live with an attitude of expecting to win as they complete their recovery.

It is my privilege to get to know our honored servicemen this weekend. Every new friendship formed between our two generations can represent a strengthening of our promise of freedom and way of life in the U.S. As we USNA classmates meet again, I know that our friendships form even deeper bonds. We appreciate all who have joined together to celebrate the meaning of this Cost of Freedom Weekend with the Expectation of a Navy Win. BEAT ARMY!!​
— Ron Stowell, December 2010

2010 following seas...