From Vietnamese Refugee to US Military Service
Lt. Col. Lan Dalat never forgot how a US military ship rescued him and fellow refugees as they fled his war-torn home, Vietnam.
“My name is Lan Dalat. I’m a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army. And I am a refugee.
“After the Vietnam War, the war with Cambodia began. And then the Chinese invaded. My family fled Vietnam on a boat. We did not choose to leave. We had to.
“Can you imagine? Our engine broke and we were stranded at sea for two weeks, but by some miracle, the U.S. Navy came to our rescue. After six months in a refugee camp in the Philippines, we were allowed to immigrate to the U.S.
“Here I was seeking refuge in a new country, unable to speak its language, and unsure of my future. We were robbed, beat up, and yelled at for many different reasons. It wasn’t easy integrating into the US in those early days.
“But I wanted to be someone. I wanted to make those sailors who rescued me proud that they had done the right thing. I wanted to serve the country that took me and my family in, so I enlisted in the U.S. Army.
“It has been a long road to becoming a Lieutenant Colonel, especially as an Asian American. I get asked a lot of questions: How did you become an officer? Were you born in the United States? What I can say is that I’ve had to work much harder to achieve the level of respect and achievement that I have today.
“As an American Soldier, I’ve served the people of the United States longer than I have lived in its land. More Asian Americans — refugees, immigrants, citizens — are serving in the military. I want to tell our untold stories because it’s part of the American story. Knowing this, we can honor and advocate the needs of all veterans.”
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