My name is Chaney Gao, I am a first generation college student and military with immigrant parents from China. They immigrated to America during the height of the Chinese Communist Party. Coming to America with little to no connections, my mother worked in a motel, swapping sheets and blankets for residents while living in a back room of the lobby. My father, bringing money from China, started his own business soon meeting my mother and growing the business together. However, my legacy comes from a different path, it began on the night of July 7, 2016. At the age of 9, my family and I encountered protests and police presence in Downtown Dallas. Suddenly, gunfire erupted, as we ran into a parking garage for cover. A police officer directed us into a stairwell providing our first sign of safety. That night, we learned that 11 Dallas police officers were ambushed and shot. Though, despite the chaos, one officer stood out, risking his life to guide us to safety with clear commands while protecting us. His actions made me recognize the vital role of communication in policing to save lives, inspiring my contribution to something greater than myself. There was no better place to start than in Los Angeles my hometown, where diverse languages coexist. With Mandarin skills, I became a Deputy Explorer, a volunteer in the Sheriff’s Department that allowed me to serve through ride-alongs, wearing my vest and utility belt for 8-hour shifts. Serving a largely Asian populus, my language skills were invaluable. One evening, my bilingualism was tested while detaining an armed robbery suspect who spoke only Mandarin. I commanded him to keep his hands up and kneel, accepting the duty to de-escalate the situation with my Mandarin skills, bringing him into custody unharmed. Upon his arrest, I gathered information of his injuries and medical history, to relay to paramedics. Even as a felon, he deserved the same care and respect as any other patient, explaining that the information gathered would only aid his treatment. These experiences reinforced my pledge to citizenship and deepened my grasp of communication which fostered safety like the de-escalation of the arrest. As an Explorer, dedicating 400+ hours, I’ve upheld integrity through high-pressure situations like directing treatment for a felon which demands that persons are treated equally. I even learned that courage isn't grand heroic acts but an empathetic presence in vulnerable times. These experiences have clarified not only who I am but where I am going. I am currently a Midshipman in the Marine Corps Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at Virginia Tech, where I am developing the leadership, discipline, and decision-making skills that define an effective officer. Serving in the Marines will allow me to build on the foundation of public service I began on the streets of Los Angeles, leading Marines with the same communication, composure, and commitment to human dignity that guided me through those early experiences. But my vision extends beyond my service commitment. When my time in the Corps is complete, I intend to return to Southern California and serve full time in law enforcement. The region I grew up in, is deeply in need of officers who understand its communities which is where I feel called to serve. That officer in the Dallas parking garage did not hesitate. He did not calculate the risk. He simply acted, guided by training, duty, and an unshakeable commitment to the people around him. That is the officer I am working every day to become, and law enforcement in where I intend to spend a career living that out.

My name is Chaney Gao, I am a first generation college student and military with immigrant parents from China. I grew up in Los Angeles, California and purpose to serve others began on the night of July 7, 2016. At the age of 9, my family and I found ourselves caught in the midst of rapid gunfire during a protest in Downtown Dallas. While on vacation, we were forced to flee for cover as we became unintended participants in a larger political conflict. That night, we learned that 11 Dallas police officers were ambushed and shot. Yet amid the chaos, a lone Officer with a rifle who risked his life to guide us to shelter, stood out. Despite becoming a target because of his calling, he prioritized protecting strangers like my family and me over his own safety. Despite becoming a target because of his profession, he placed the lives of others above him. As I grew older, I began to admire those who willingly step forward when others cannot, while protecting others despite personal risk. Wanting to serve my community in a similar capacity, I joined the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Explorer Program. After completing the Explorer Academy, I spent my weekends working alongside deputies, answering calls for service through ridealongs. Initially, my tasks were straightforward—filing paperwork, fetching gear. However, through working the radio and speaking to the public, I gained a deeper understanding of my community's needs. One clear necessity was the desire for Chinese-speaking deputies in predominantly Asian neighborhoods, particularly to address communication issues due to the language barriers. The true weight of this became apparent one evening during a felony stop of an armed robbery suspect. At that moment, while deputies were trying to de-escalate the situation, the suspect, an immigrant from China was visibly confused and non-compliant. While witnessing this moment unfold before me, I was unexpectedly called up by officers to translate commands. I found myself as the link between officers and the suspect. Given my experiences of growing up in a Mandarin-speaking household, I mainly practiced speaking Mandarin to sustain everyday conversations. However, it never occurred to me that those skills would be tested under the profession of conflict resolution within policing. Standing there in that intense moment, feet away from the armed suspect and commanding him in Chinese, made me recognize the capabilities that I possessed as an Asian American. With every word, I felt the weight of ensuring officer safety and de-escalating the situation, a common concern in policing. I truly realized that my language held the power to establish a vital communication bridge between my Asian community of diverse languages with public safety officials who battle this gap. While my experiences in law enforcement first introduced me to service, I ultimately realized that I wanted to lead and serve on a larger scale. As a first-generation college student and the first member of my family to pursue military service, I was drawn to the Marine Corps because of its unwavering commitment to responding to the nation's and world's needs whenever and wherever called upon. The Marine Corps' reputation for maintaining the highest standards of leadership, discipline, and readiness resonated deeply with me. I wanted to be part of an organization that expects excellence from its members and entrusts young leaders with immense responsibility. Through Marine Option NROTC at Virginia Tech, I am preparing to earn a commission as a Marine officer so that I can lead Marines, serve others, and uphold the same values of courage, selflessness, and commitment that inspired me to serve on that day in Dallas, Texas.