Posted by Joseph E. Carey on May 20, 2008:

First, I want to state that I did not come to know Lance by way of West Point. I am not an Alumni of The Academy. I have been doing a lot of reflecting regarding my active duty time. I have often wondered about some of my fellow Soldiers that I served with. One Soldier and Officer that I had the honor to serve with was CPT Lance Motley. Everything about this leader stood out to me when I was a 2LT. It was the mid 1980’s and Lance was my CO XO (9th ID), and he showed me the ropes, and he challenged me every day physically and mentally. Lance had a personality that always stood out - I remember he ALWAYS saluted superiors and subordinates with a rapid fire salute. We used to talk tactics and about military customs and chivalry. When one met Lance, you knew that he was one of a kind. He was born to be a Patton. For years I have often wanted to know how he was doing and what he was into. I finally did a search in May 2008 and found out through a West Point web site that he died doing what he loved best – being in the thick of things on a foreign battlefield reporting and most likely training personnel when he was a war correspondent for Soldier of Fortune. I knew back then that when he was done with his 5 yr obligation that he was going to resign his commission and seek out the truth for himself. He truly was a modern warrior that I had the honor to serve with. He was inpatient with military bureaucracy, our politicians, political correctness, and other such annoyances. I didn’t really know until May 2008 that Lance had passed on, but I always had a voice in the back of my mind that told me he had passed on. I don’t know why I decided to check but I did and the free world is less without him. I remember we were doing survival training with our rifle company and a fairly large snake slithered by and Lance quick as a flash scooped it up and bit the head of the snake off and drank its blood. To understand Lance, he didn’t do that to impress our 11B’s he did it because he was Lance. I am glad that he is buried at West Point. I do know that he did love the USMA and the Army, but he was courageous enough to get out when he felt he did all he could do and stick to his principles. I suppose if Lance had stayed in, he would have made full Colonel or would have been given a bad conduct discharge! I am a better officer for knowing this exceptional man! Joseph E. Carey LTC, IN, USAR

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