Illinois Senator mocks Tammy Duckworth's family heritage

"I'd forgotten that your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington."



Rep. Tammy Duckworth is a congresswoman, war veteran, and candidate for the U.S. Senate in Illinois. She is a dedicated public servant and trailblazer by all accounts. So, of course, as an Asian American woman, she would be attacked by an entitled white politician trying to cast doubt on her military and ethnic heritage.

Sen. Mark Kirk questions opponent's American heritage in Illinois debate

Duckworth is seeking to unseat Republican Senator Mark Kirk. On Thursday night during the Illinois senate debate, Duckworth mentioned her family's history of military service.

"My family has served this nation in uniform, going back to the Revolution," Duckworth said. "I'm a Daughter of the American Revolution. I've bled for this nation. But I still want to be there in the Senate when the drums of war sound. Because people are quick to sound the drums of war, and I want to be there to say this is what it costs, this is what you're asking us to do... Families like mine are the ones that bleed first."

Kirk responded with a snarky dig at Duckworth's heritage: "I'd forgotten that your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington." The implication: how could a woman who looks like you have any sort of connection to something so purely American as the Revolutionary War?

Well, allow Tammy to explain.

Susan Ahn Cuddy, First Asian American Woman in U.S. Navy, Dies at 100

Pioneering Korean American servicewoman dedicated her life to family and country.



A pioneer has passed. Susan Ahn Cuddy, the first female gunnery officer in the United States Navy and the first Korean American to serve in U.S. Naval Intelligence, died Wednesday. She was 100 years old.

'Living Legend' Susan Ahn Cuddy Passes Away at 100

Born in Los Angeles in 1915, Cuddy was the eldest daughter of Korean independence activist Ahn Chang-ho and his wife Helen Ahn, who were among the earliest Korean immigrants to arrive in America.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Cuddy enlisted in the U.S. Armed Forces in 1942, becoming the first Asian American woman in the U.S. Navy. She served until 1946, reaching the rank of lieutenant, and went on to work for U.S. Navy Intelligence, the Library of Congress and the National Security Agency, before retiring in 1959.

According to her son Philip Cuddy, she passed away peacefully at her home in Northridge, California.

More on her pioneering life and career, from her bio:

U.S. Army deletes "chinks" tweet

Can we please retire this expression?



Folks, I've said this before, but can we please retire the phrase "chink in the armor"? I know this is a legit, centuries-old expression, meaning "a vulnerable area," but its usage today just does not look or sound right and makes for awkward moments, regardless of intent. Our latest offender: the United States Army.

Army expresses surprise about racism allegations over deleted tweet

On Thursday afternoon, the Army's official Twitter account posted a tweet referring "chinks" in the armor of its special ops capabilities. The tweet, which prompted several accusations of racism, has since been deleted.

Sikh student files discrimination lawsuit against U.S. Army

"Choosing between one's faith and serving one's country is a decision that no one should have to make."



A Sikh student at Hofstra University has filed a lawsuit against the United States Army, claiming that he was refused a religious accommodation that would allow him to enlist in his school's ROTC program in accordance with his faith -- without shaving his beard, cutting his hair and removing his turban.

Sikh student sues U.S. Army, says ROTC enlistment blocked because of his faith

As a practicing Sikh, Iknoor Singh keeps his hair long and wears a turban. However, he was told by ROTC recruiters that he would not be able enlist unless he complied with all Army grooming and uniform rules, which would require him to immediately cut his hair, shave off his bear and remove his turban.

Singh, learning that the Army had previously granted religious accommodations to several Sikhs and soldiers of other faiths, applied for an exemption but was denied. The lawsuit, filed jointly by the ACLU and United Sikhs, says the Army's policy is a violation of Singh's religious freedom.

Former Navy corpsman awarded Silver Star for valor

Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan "Doc" Kong ran into heavy gunfire to save a wounded Marine.



File Under Badass... Last week, a former Navy hospital corpsman was awarded a Silver Star -- the military's third-highest award for valor -- for saving the life of a wounded Marine during an enemy ambush in Afghanistan.

Silver Star for Doc who fought to save Marine

Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Kong was serving in the Sangin District of Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment in 2011 when he and fellow service members came under attack by Taliban fighters. During the firefight, Marine Cpl. Michael Dawers was shot in the chest and fell to the ground.

According to the Silver Star citation, Kong was initially pinned down by enemy fire but "courageously rushed from his covered position, boldly charged into the kill zone dodging a hail of bullets, and reached the casualty," pulling him to safety and administering "life-saving aid."

Army promotes first Vietnamese American General

Fort Hood's Viet X. Luong receives his brigadier general's stars



Last week at a ceremony at Fort Hood, hundreds gathered as soldier Viet Xuan Luong became the first Vietnamese American to reach the rank of general in the United States Army.

Army Promotes First Vietnamese-American General

On Wednesday, Luong received his brigadier general's stars from Fort Hood commander Lt. Gen. Mark Milley. Among the hundreds attending the ceremony were Luong's seven sisters, his mother, wife and three children.

Luong was 10 when he came to the United States with his family as refugees from Vietnam in 1975.

'Private Danny Chen Way' dedicated in Chinatown

Hundreds gather for unveiling of Manhattan street re-named in memory of local soldier



On Saturday in New York City, hundreds gathered in Chinatown to honor the memory of Pvt. Danny Chen. On Elizabeth Street, between Canal Street and Bayard Street, city officials unveiled "Private Danny Chen Way," a tribute to the local soldier who fell prey to the military's dark culture of bullying and hazing.

Street In Chinatown Renamed In Memory Of Private Danny Chen

Pvt. Danny Chen, who grew up in Chinatown, was found dead in October 2011 after enduring intolerable racial hazing and harassment from fellow soldiers while serving in Afghanistan. His death resulted in eight U.S. Army soldiers charged with various crimes, and highlighted the problem of hazing and discrimination in the military.

The city council approved the street re-naming last December. On Saturday's unveiling, Chen's mother was joined by family, friends and community members who vowed continue to remember the story of Danny Chen.

Maj. Kurt Chew-Een Lee, First Asian American U.S. Marine Officer, dies at 88

Decorated hero of the Korean War



Major Kurt Chew-Een Lee, the first Asian American officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, who was decorated for his legendary service in the Korean War, has died this week at his home in Washington DC. He was 88.

Obituary: Maj. Kurt Chew-Een Lee, 88, was Korean War hero

The son of Chinese immigrants, Maj. Lee was a gung-ho Marine who climbed the ranks and broke barriers during a time strong racial prejudice. A recipient of the Navy Cross, the Marines' second-highest honor -- really, experts say deserved higher -- Maj. Lee is perhaps best known for his fierce bravery in combat during a assault by Communist Chinese forces in Korea on the night of November 2-3, 1950.

The 2010 documentary Uncommon Courage: Breakout at Chosin, recounts how Lee led 500 men through a nighttime blizzard and rebuffed an attack by enemy forces to save 8,000 Marines from capture at Chosin Reservoir.

President Obama meets Nisei World War II veterans

White House welcomes seven surviving Japanese American veterans



This week marks the anniversary of Executive Order 9066, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which enabled the U.S. government to forcibly remove and incarcerate 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry.

In spite of this monumental injustice, more than 33,000 second generation Japanese Americans volunteered to serve in the United States Army during World War II. The 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team, composed almost entirely of soldiers of Japanese descent, became the most decorated unit in United States military history for its size and length of service.

In 2010, President Obama awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II. On Tuesday, the president met with seven surviving Nisei veterans -- all in their 90s -- to thank them in person.

Here's some video from their meeting:

Pvt. Danny Chen's life and death to become an opera

From playwright David Henry Hwang and composer Huang Ruo



The story of Pvt. Danny Chen, the Chinese American soldier who was found dead with a bullet to his head after enduring relentless hazing and racial harassment from his fellow soldiers, is set to become an opera from playwright David Henry Hwang: Victim of Military Hazing to Be Immortalized in Opera.

The Washington National Opera has commissioned a one-hour opera based on the life and death of Private Chen, entitled An American Soldier. Written by Hwang and composer Huang Ruo, the work is an attempt to fuse high culture with social awareness about the tragedy behind Danny Chen's death:

U.S. Navy commander charged in bribery scheme

Asians behaving badly... military secrets-for-sex (and other perks) edition!

A high-profile U.S. Navy commander faces federal bribery charges for schemes involving hundreds millions of dollars in Navy contracts with payoffs that included prostitutes and luxury travel in exchange for classified information: High profile U.S. Navy commander charged in bribery case.

According to the U.S. attorney's office, Navy Cmdr. Michael Vannak Khem Misiewic sent classified information, including ship movements, and used his position as deputy operations officer for the U.S. commander of the Seventh Fleet to help schedule visits of Navy ships to ports where a defense contractor, Leonard Glenn Francis, provided services including tugboats, security, transportation, supplies, fuel and waste removal.

In exchange, Francis provided Misiewicz with paid air travel, luxury hotel accomodations, prostitution services and other entertainment -- including five tickets to a Lady Gaga concert.

Tammy Duckworth is not taking your sh*t.

Do you want to know what congressional fury looks like? On Wednesday, Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a veteran of the Iraq War, verbally dropkicked the crap out of a federal contractor who used his military disability status -- based on a prep school sports injury -- to receive government contracts reserved for disabled vets: Tammy Duckworth Eviscerates Contractor Who Claimed Veterans Disability.

This is a veteran you do not want to mess with. Rep. Duckworth lost both her legs and use of her right arm during her service as a combat pilot in Iraq. But this fool Braulio Castillo, who broke his foot at the U.S. Military Preparatory School nearly 30 years ago, claimed the injury in his company's application for special status as a "service-disabled veteran-owned small business." Not cool.

Watch as Ms. Duckworth destroys Mr. Castillo. Make sure you watch the whole thing:

Support the effort to co-name a Chinatown street "Danny Chen Way"

For those of you in New York City, community members are leading an effort to co-name a Chinatown street after Private Danny Chen. OCA-NY invites supporters to attend a meeting of the city's Transportation Committee on Tuesday, June 11, where they'll present a petition in support of "Danny Chen Way."

Private Danny Chen was a Chinese American soldier who grew up in Manhattan's Chinatown. At at 19, he was found dead while serving in Afghanistan, after enduring six weeks of hazing and racial abuse. The case drew international and national attention to the problem of hazing in the military, and the street re-naming is an effort to immortalize Danny's legacy.

If you're available, please join OCA-NY at the Transportation Committee's meeting this week. It's happening Tuesday, June 11, 6:30pm at Confucious Plaza Community Room. Here are some more details:

Sign the petition seeking administrative discharge of soldiers convicted in Danny Chen case

Some unfinished business in the fight to seek justice for Private Danny Chen, who died after suffering weeks of hazing and abuse from his superiors and fellow soldiers in Afghanistan.

While all eight superiors faced court-martial and were found guilty, only four of them have been discharged from the Army. A coalition of Danny's supporters have begun circulating an online petition to the Commander in Fort Wainwright, Alaska to request that the four remaining soldiers be administratively discharged:

Next steps in seeking justice for Private Danny Chen

Are you still wondering you can do in the fight for justice for Private Danny Chen? After the courts-martial of all eight soldiers connected to his hazing and tragic death, four were ultimately discharged from the Army. And earlier this month, President Obama signed several anti-hazing provisions into law.

But this is not over. There's still unfinished business. If you're in New York, OCA-NY, which has been spearheading this campaign from the very beginning, is holding a planning meeting next week to discuss where the community goes from here in seeking justice for Danny Chen. The fight does not stop.

Next steps include an organizing campaign to co-name Elizabeth Street where Danny grew up in Manhattan's Chinatown, "Danny Chen's Way," and a petition to the Commander in Fort Wainwright, Alaska to request that the four remaining soldiers be administratively discharged from the Army.

It's happening Monday, February 4th, 7:00pm, at 20 Cooper Sq, NYU, 4th Fl, Rm 471. To attend, be sure to RSVP to Mackenzie Yang at myy2105@gmail.com.

Press conference on next steps in Danny Chen campaign

This is a bit short notice, but if you're in the New York City area on tomorrow morning, come to Chinatown, where there will be a press conference regarding the last of the eight soldiers charged in connection with Private Danny Chen's death and the next steps in the community's campaign for justice.

It's happening Tuesday, December 18, 10:30am at the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association. Here's the press advisory:

military legislation includes anti-hazing provisions

An important development in the aftermath of the Danny Chen hazing case... This week, the U.S. Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act of 2013, which includes legislation to prevent and address hazing in the military: Senate Passes Anti-Hazing, Diversity In Military Legislation.

The provisions would require the military to report on their policies to improve anti-hazing, training and response. Another provision would require the Secretary of Defense to development of procedures to allow soldiers to anonymously report incidents of hazing.

Year after year, the National Defense Authorization Act always has controversial, debatable elements. Hopefully, the provision on hazing isn't one of them. The act must now go to conference in the House. Remember Danny Chen!

seventh soldier found guilty in connection with danny chen's death

This week, a seventh soldier was found guilty in connection with the death of Pvt. Danny Chen, who took his own life while serving in Afghanistan after enduring weeks of racial abuse at the hands of his fellow soldiers: Sgt. busted down in rank for his role in hazing Pvt. Danny Chen.

Jurors in the court-martial of 27-year-old Staff Sgt. Andrew Van Vockel found him guilty of hazing, as well as dereliction of duty and maltreatment of a subordinate. He was the so-called "ringleader" in the abuse, which included racist mocking and throwing rocks at Chen during training.

Van Bockel testified that his treatment of Chen was "corrective training." The rest of us prefer to call it torture.

military dad surprises sons at football game

Check out this great video of Joshua Ricafrente, a gunnery sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, surprising his sons at an Eastern Carolina University football game: U.S. Marine Surprises Sons at College Football Game.

From the looks on their faces, 10-year-old Noah and 8-year-old Elijah had no idea that their dad, who had been deployed in Afghanistan for the past five months, would show up during halftime. The way they run in to his arms is pretty darn heartwarming. Take a look: