They Serve/d: Asian American Veterans

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (Adams et al., 1776).

Early Military Involvement
Individuals of Asian heritage, including those with Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese ancestry, have been part of the U.S. military since the War of 1812.

World War II Contributions
During World War II, Japanese Americans encountered profound challenges, including forced internment and widespread discrimination. Despite these obstacles, many still chose to enlist and serve their country, demonstrating a strong American patriotism that never wavered in the face of adversity.

Service During the Cold War and Beyond
Throughout the Cold War, as well as the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Asian American service members played a crucial role in military operations. However, they often contended with societal prejudices and questions surrounding their national identity.

Present-Day Representation
Asian Americans currently make up approximately 3.8% of the active-duty military force, which closely mirrors their proportion in the overall U.S. population.

American Military and Legislative Trends

The Department of the Navy honored Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in May of 2024 by celebrating the vital contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders contributed to the national defense. The event’s theme, “Advancing Leaders Through Innovation,” highlighted the impact of leadership and forward-thinking within these communities (Del Toro, 2024). However, there is a dangerous change occurring in the United States as of late. With the recent removal of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) Department protections for veterans, military servicemembers, and those minority groups that serve(d), a harsh reality is coming to light that violates not only the United States Declaration of Independence, but the sheer image of American veterans and servicemembers being left behind and removed from the picture due to their ethnicity (Copp & Baldor, 2025; Adams et al., 1776).

Many of those Asian-Americans who served, served during highly combative war time. Many of those who serve in combat zones may face mental and physical obstacles at one point or another. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one risk factor that can be birthed from such incidents. Internment camps also hold a high risk of PTSD and physical barriers (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). War will always create PTSD, in one way or another. It is important to know the transgressions that occurred with Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders in generations passed, so that those same discriminations and hardships do not keep replicating. History does not need to repeat itself, uncontent homo sapiens are the root of such problems (Asian American Education Project). The ‘I don’t like you because you’re different’ mentality is so old, ugly, and needs to be flung into the sun at this point.

A Rich History of ‘Service Before Self’

When it comes to Asian Americans serving in the military, there is a wealth of history which began on July 17, 1862. On that date, Congress passed into legislation the Militia Act (12 Stat. 597) which stated that anyone who was a resident immigrant living in the United States and could prove their patriotism and loyalty to the United States by way of serving in the military, would be granted citizenship; Asian, European, woman or man, anyone who was a resident immigrant (Nomiyama, 2024). This was partially based on the sheer fact that many who serve were not even born in the United States. Unofficially and off-the-record, Asian Americans have been fighting for America and the preservation of the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence since the War of 1812 (Gonzalez, 2022).

Nonprofit organizations like ‘Go For Broke’ also do their part to help preserve and bring forth the stories of those Asian Americans who served the United States Armed Forces at one time or another. Befitting their name, “go for broke” was the catch-phrase of the Japanese Americans who served in the Army’s 442nd Regimental Combat Team during WWII. “Go for broke” roughly translates to, at all costs give it your all (Go For Broke). It is a term that I highly used during my time in the service, and still is highly used.

Asian Americans have been crucial components in American history; from building the foundations that made the transport of good possible (living on slave wages to construct the railroad system), to giving women a way to regulate those painful menstruation cycles (birth control, Dr. Min Chueh Chang), to translating and infiltrating our enemies headquarters (Nisei, the military intelligence service that contained both men and women of Japanese-American descent; ex: Miwako Yanamoto and Sgt. Bob Hoichi Kubo).

After President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the Executive Order 9066, the Aliens Enemies Act was passed by Congress which required the immediate martial law and relocation of all Japanese-Americans into internment camps, many Japanese (even the elderly) volunteered to serve in the military hoping to prove they belonged in America and deserved equality (González, 2022; Nomiyama, 2024). They strongly urged the president and congress to give them to right to prove their patriotism. As a result, many died in the internment camps and those Asian Americans who did serve were highly brutalized and discriminated against. Some of that discrimination continues to this very day. Organizations like DEI helped to validate the struggles of those, like the Asian Americans who paved the way for equality and justice for all – as the pledge of alliance states.

The Real American’s Goal

Though, internment camps are gone (at the time of this blog’s post), it doesn’t mean history won’t repeat itself. The goal is for us to grow as a society and we need each other. The Declaration of Independence doesn’t say, “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” for some. It depicts how those core human rights are obtainable for all Americans and resident immigrants (those who live here and pay taxes, whether here legally or illegally).

Us Americans don’t have to agree on what new full-of-crap guy is president, only that, who-ever it is, they probably have no idea or no courage for what is means to fight for their country as a member of the military. Leaders stand in front of their troops, not behind. As stated by America’s first president and war-hero, Gen. George Washington (1796),

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty (13-14).

Albeit, whatever journey in life we are going through, the best part of being an American is that we don’t have to like our neighbors, but by tolerating each other and our unique vibes, we can lead to a trust that may need down-range. We don’t have to worship, speak, think, or even look the same, to be united, because it is “we the people” and not we under one ruling regime.

With that said, I know I am not Asian, but this blog means a lot to me as a veteran and as a woman who served this country. I was fortunate to serve with a diversity of airmen, sailors, marines, and soldiers. As a patriot, I realize that not everyone will read this and agree. Many will be intolerant to actually reading this entire piece for what it is: a call to arms to protect those who served and those who are currently serving this great country. That is fine. We are all entitled to our opinions; opinions are like assholes and everyone has one anyways. My goal is to give you, the public, this informed opinion about the what Asian American Military Servicemembers and Veterans have gone through and are still going through.

Remember President Abraham Lincoln’s chilling words from the Gettysburg Address: “A house divided against itself, cannot stand.” He was talking about how ideologies divide us when we don’t think of the whole picture. Now, I challenge you to start thinking of the whole picture. We are all homo sapiens – humans – and we need each other. So the challenge for you: travel to a different country (Ireland, Japan, Australia, Brazil). Take a couple days, just get out of North America. Go see how the rest of society lives, loves, and learns. Just experience it on your own time. You may be scared to learn the truth of how beautiful and insanely diverse the world can be once you embrace each other’s differences.

Further Reading

Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC). Civil and Human Rights Collaborative of Organizations. https://www.advancingjustice-aajc.org/

Center for Minority Veterans (CMV). Veterans Administration. https://www.va.gov/centerforminorityveterans/


References

Adams, J., Franklin, B., Jefferson, T., Sherman, R., and Livingston, R. (1776). The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America. United States Declaration of Independent. https://docs.house.gov/meetings/GO/GO00/20220929/115171/HHRG-117-GO00-20220929-SD010.pdf

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders [5thEd.]. American Psychiatric Publishing.

Asian American Education Project. (2022). 4.2 – Asian Americans serving and fighting in the Vietnam War. English Language Arts, U.S. History. The Asian American Education Project. https://asianamericanedu.org/asian-americans-serving-and-fighting-in-vietnam-war.html

Copp, T. & Baldor, L. C. (2025). Military Ordered to Purge Social Media Sites of Diversity Mentions by March 5. Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-social-media-purge-lethality-cc404f00493578d4210e3efe2440648f

Del Toro, C. (2024). Department of the Navy 2024 Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Department of the Navy. https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Messages/ALNAV/ALN2024/ALN24038.txt?ver=AGGtLpUnMY00v7IUyPhseQ%3D%3D#:~:text=The%20Department%20of%20the%20Navy,our%20Nation's%20lands%20and%20seas.

Go For Broke. (2024). History in a minute. Go For Broke National Education Center. https://goforbroke.org/history/

González, J. (2022). Asian Americans in the Military. Law Librarians of Congress: Blogs. Library of Congress. https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2022/11/asian-americans-in-the-military/

Loo, C. M. (2005). PTSD among ethnic minority veterans. Veterans Service Outreach Program - VSO. https://veteranserviceprogram.org/PTSDminorityVeterans.html

Nomiyama, C. (2024). Belonging on and off the battlefield: Asian Americans in the U.S. Military. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/ghe/cascade/index.html?appid=6301eee806184a9c885374869c325ba4&bookmark=Civil%20War

PBS Learning Media. Asian American: Asian Americans in military service during WWII [Video]. PBS & WGBH Educational foundation. https://ny.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/asian-americans-military-service/asian-americans-video/

Rohall, D., Ender, M. G., & Matthews, M. D. (Eds.). (2017). Inclusion in the American Military: A force for diversity. Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Washington, G. (1796). George Washington's farewell address: To the people of the United States. United States Senate. https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/Washingtons_Farewell_Address.pdf

 

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