Vietnamese eldest son finds his own way in Corps

Some cultures place more importance on the traditions of the culture and place more pride in family names than others. Pfc. Hai-Nam D. Nguyen, Platoon 1143, Company D, comes from such a culture. His is a traditional Vietnamese family, which passes down family responsibility and the surname to the first-born son. As the eldest son of the eldest son, Nguyen is in line to one day become the head of the family, which means he already has more obligations to the family then the average new Marine.

"He has to be a role model for the rest of the 28 grandchildren," said Dong Nguyen, his older sister. "Nam is hard-headed and doesn't always understand how important his role is."

This hard headedness comes from growing up away from Vietnam and tradition. Although his family is from Vietnam, Nguyen was born in a Philippines refugee camp and raised in the United States.

While ducking police in Vietnam during the 1980s, his family escaped to the sea, first finding themselves in Thailand and eventually making their way with pirates to the Philippines, according to Nguyen's siblings.

The police caught up with his father Buck Nguyen and took him to a political camp for months. Afterward he found his family in the Philippines and rejoined them to journey to the United States.

The family is now settled in Arlington, Texas, where Buck owns a construction business.

His father faced many hardships in order to find happiness, Nguyen said. This inspired Nguyen to endure the challenge of becoming a Marine.

"I wanted to be unique and show I put forth the effort to earn what I was given and to pay back the United States for the opportunities given to my family," said Nguyen.

The United States allowed his family to migrate after one of his family members, who was an ally to the American government while in Vietnam, moved to the States and sponsored them to come over.

The United States also offered aid to Nguyen's family when they began living in America. However, they did not use it.

"My dad refused government support," he said. "He wanted to earn everything on his own."

That memory was ingrained in Nguyen's mind.

"I didn't go through the hardships (my parents) did," he said, but he wants to earn his own way like his father.

"He lived those core values of honor, courage and commitment everyday," Nguyen said, speaking about the same values instilled in Marines during recruit training.

Although Nguyen has now proven his mettle by completing recruit training, he had to receive his family's approval before joining. He wanted to join the Marine Corps out of high school, but his family forbade it.

"Most Asian families don't think outside the box," said Dong. "Everyone in the family was against it, even our parents at first."

Fortunately for Nguyen, his parents felt he could grow as a man and a role model for his family as a Marine.

"When I joined the Marine Corps (my father) told me he was proud. It brought tears to his eyes," said Nguyen. "We live as Americans and still recognize we come from Vietnam and are now Vietnamese-Americans."

Nguyen has the opportunity, to combine his experience with both cultures to help move his family into the future with confidence.

Lance Cpl. Edward R. Guevara Jr.,

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO

COPYRIGHT 2004 U.S. Marine Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group