Episode Details

In this episode, Ken sits down with Tom Le—a West Point graduate, former U.S. Army officer, and current civilian research analyst for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA).

Tom shares his journey from failing out of college as a first-generation student to enlisting in the Army National Guard and ultimately earning an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. He opens up about his recent 18-month assignment at the DPAA detachment in Hanoi, leading joint field activities alongside Vietnamese military counterparts to locate, excavate, and repatriate the remains of missing American service members from the Vietnam War.

Kenneth and Tom also unpack the historical and current defense cooperation between the U.S. and Vietnam, including the little-known exchange programs that place active Vietnamese national officers into prestigious U.S. Service Academies. They discuss navigating media representation, distinguishing personal political commentary from institutional achievements, and using storytelling to inspire the next generation of Asian American leaders.

Inside the Episode

The Academic Rebound: How enlisting as a combat medic transformed Tom’s trajectory after failing out of his first university, eventually leading to West Point.

The Cornerstone of U.S.–Vietnam Diplomacy: The story of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), which established a presence in Hanoi in 1991—four years prior to formal diplomatic normalization.

On-the-Ground Excavations: The physical and technical challenges of recovering 1,500+ missing U.S. personnel across Vietnam's changing landscapes, aging witness populations, and acidic soil conditions.

Vietnamese Nationals at U.S. Military Academies: Exploring military exchange programs where active-duty Vietnamese officers attend institutions like West Point, the Naval Academy, and the Air Force Academy.

Navigating Representation & Public Figures: A candid breakdown on how to highlight Vietnamese-American excellence while maintaining critical boundaries on individual political statements.

Connecting Diaspora Identity: Moving from a Midwest upbringing with minimal Vietnamese language exposure to achieving business-level fluency for international defense logistics.

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Many of you still have the chance to record and preserve the legacies of your own families. I’ve sat with families now for interview sessions to record the rich histories of parents and explore the lives of the generations that preceded them. Don’t let your family stories go untold! Take a moment to reach out and together we will bring out your family’s story on a recorded journey. - Kenneth Nguyen

Visit https://www.vietnamstorybank.com/ today for more information!