My family emigrated from a small town in Vietnam when I was 17 years old with bare hands. My age was not considered mature enough to deal with the matter of life but not too young to able to realize life challenges, especially when the total living environment changed. I came to the United States of America where people speak an absolutely different language. It was a huge obstacle that I had to overcome to communicate with anyone in high school. My parents arrived in the United States without any basic words of English and without any education more high school level. Therefore, I had to teach and train myself with discipline to keep the consistency of learning, especially English because I was instilled that education was the fundamental step to integrate into life in a foreign land, to acquire knowledge, skills and to earn the first paycheck to help myself as well as my family. It was paid off as I graduated high school and passed the ASVAB with the score that could even qualify me for Army officer standard by only one time test. It was the first year of my life in the United States of America. Joining the military as an American enlisted soldier was a tremendously bold decision in my life. My grandfather has never encouraged me to join the military as he had experienced grief and disappointment after his fellow American soldiers left Vietnam and the communists took over and revenged anyone pertaining the previous government namely him. Moreover, before I ever met a recruiter, I was overweight. I could not run even a mile nor do 3-4 push-ups. However, I realized that the choice of enlisting is a critical point from which I am going to take a vow to a new chapter of my life. I graduated Basic Training, Advanced Individual Training, and serve in the Army Reserve; I earned my Associates’ Degree with Honors 4.0 GPA from Golden West College to transfer to 4-year university for the Bachelor’s degree. I could have not achieved all of these if I was afraid of changes and if I did not always urge myself to become physically, intellectually and mentally tough. My military career, academic path and personal life converged to one during the last two years. I have the determination to keep them integrated as I join the ROTC. It was the two year of myself living as an American. At the moment, I am a cadet with provision to become an Army leader; I am also a student at California State University, Long Beach with provision to attend school of dentistry to become a dentist; However, financial challanges are still a giant obstacle on my path to success. I am working more than half time to sustain life, keeping up tasks in the ROTC and stay on top of school work whereas my parents work with minimum wage paychecks. There are two younger brothers both of which are coming to college next semester, Fall 2023. My family financial situation is not stable at this time. With my past four years, I believe I can do better with the scholarship. This is an investment for the future of not only an Army leader or a dentist but the good of our nation, of our community, of the mentorship and passion which I have the intention to pass over to the next generations.