. The three men had been undergoing a reintegration process at the medical center . FARC had held the three U.S. government contractors since February 2003 after their plane went down in a remote region of the South American country . They and former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt were among 15 hostages rescued on July 2 in a Colombian military operation . The three Americans arrived at Brooke Army Medical Center later that day . The three Americans urged the media not to forget the hundreds of other hostages still held by FARC . `` Do n't forget the people that are still there , '' Stansell said . `` There are fellow hostages that are still there . Some have 10 years -LSB- as a hostage -RSB- , '' he said . `` Right this minute , they 're in chains , looking for food , and they 're on the run . And their families have n't seen them in 10 years . '' It is estimated that FARC holds some 750 hostages . The leftist rebel group took up arms in 1964 and grew from a rag-tag band of 48 fighters to a self-styled `` people
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Three Americans rescued last week from captivity in the Colombian jungle left a medical center for their homes Saturday , hoping for some time out of the spotlight as they reconnect with loved ones . Left to right , Thomas Howes , Keith Stansell and Marc Gonsalves address reporters before flying home Saturday . Keith Stansell , Marc Gonsalves and Thomas Howes -- hostages of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia for more than five years -- left the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio , Texas . `` There 's family members that are waiting for us , and just imagine if you had n't seen your family in 5 1/2 years , '' Stansell said , asking the media to allow the former captives some space . `` Let us go home and be family men again . '' `` We 're going to come out and we 're going to talk , but right now , what we want to do is rest , '' Gonsalves said . All three were headed home to Florida , and Stansell and Howes flashed their new Florida driver 's licenses before they boarded a plane