Washington, D.C. (August 5, 2010) – The Japanese American Citizens League announced that the organization will honor outstanding women at its annual Gala to be held in Washington, D.C. on September 16, 2010. The JACL event, “A Salute to Champions,” will have awards presented to Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Etsu Mineta Masaoka, Christine Toy Johnson and Roxana Saberi. JACL corporate partner Eli Lilly will also be honored.

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The Iraq Peace Action Coalition states that the partial withdrawal of U.S. troops and rebranding of the remaining 50,000 troops as “trainers,” is not the end of the occupation and war in Iraq.  This is reminiscent of the early years of the war in Vietnam when U.S. troops were called “advisers,” which did not mean the U.S. was not involved in the early phase of a war.

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Sacramento, Calif. (August 19, 2010) – The Hmong Veterans Resolution, Assembly House Resolution 33 (HR 33), was successfully passed by the California State Assembly today with a unanimous vote. The 80-0 vote means that the resolution will now be enrolled and sent to the President and U.S. Congress. The resolution also enjoyed wide bipartisan support as 68 Assemblymembers signed on as coauthors.

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The United States provided humanitarian relief to Pakistan shortly after July 29, 2010 flooding left hundreds reported dead and hundreds of thousands homeless. The first American military aircraft to fly into Pakistan with assistance was from the Minnesota Air National Guard. Thousands of Halal meals were delivered by a C-130H assigned to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing from Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Aug. 1, 2010.” (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz)

South Asia (August 11, 2010) – Crew Members of the 133rd Airlift Wing based in the Twin Cities, now deployed to Afghanistan, are assisting with international relief efforts in Pakistan following deadly flooding in the region that began on July 29, 2010. The first U.S. relief flight into Pakistan was on a 133rd Airlift Wing, Minnesota Air National Guard C-130H “Hercules”, filled with emergency relief supplies flown from Bagram, Afghanistan.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 5, 2010) ­– The U.S. Senate approved legislation (S. 1055) awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to Japanese American soldiers of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) during the War. The legislation comes just prior to the 22nd anniversary of The Civil Liberties Act of 1988, offering redress to Japanese Americans interned by the US Government during the Second World War on August 10, 2010.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 11, 2010) – Twenty-two years after The Civil Liberties Act became law on August 10, 1988, providing redress to Japanese Americans interned by the US Government during the Second World War; the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation will celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the national memorial inspired by the Act.

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Opening July 23 at Lagoon Cinema, “Restrepo” (Rated R), is a documentary film from National Geographic Entertainment and Outpost Films that chronicles the one-year deployment of a platoon of American soldiers at one of the most dangerous outposts in Afghanistan. Filmmakers Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger deployed with the unit on a remote 15-man outpost, “Restrepo,” considered one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military.

This is an entirely experiential film: the cameras never leave the valley; there are no interviews with generals or diplomats. The only goal is to make viewers feel as if they have just been through a 94-minute deployment. This is war, full stop. The conclusions are up to you.

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Moe Tin Soe, center, a Burmese college student who is joining the US Army this summer to become a mechanic, with Sergeant Brandon Kennedy, a left, Roseville area Recruiting NCO and Staff Sergeant Joseph Haedtke, the Future Soldier Squad Leader who works with recruits to prepare them for life in the Army. (AAP staff photo by Tom LaVenture)

By TOM LAVENTURE

AAP staff writer

ST. PAUL (June 9, 2010) – Joining the military is not an easy decision, and for a refugee/immigrant, there are other issues to contend with for themselves and their families. Moe Tin Soe, 34, has lived in the United States for just two years. He began learning English in the Thailand refugee camps, and continues to improve as a student at Hennepin Technical College where he plans to finish studies in Industrial Building Engineering and Maintenance this summer.

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U.S. Navy Reservist Hai Nguyen, of Minneapolis, was recently selected for promotion to the rank of commander. He is assigned to the Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, VA. His parents, Khap and Dinh Nguyen, also live in Minneapolis.

FORT BELVOIR, Va. (June 12, 2010) – Minneapolis resident and Navy reservist Hai T. Nguyen has been selected for promotion to the rank of commander. A Navy supply corps officer, he is assigned as a reservist to the Defense Reutilization Team-Salt Lake City, Utah, as the executive officer. The unit is part of the Defense Logistics Agency’s Joint Reserve Force, at Fort Belvoir, Va.

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