South Korean descent, I am grateful for the opportunities America has given to my family. Despite starting with limited resources when my family first came to the United States some 16 years ago, my parents became owners of two successful small businesses. Their modest success, along with several generous scholarships, allowed me to attend college and eventually become the first attorney in my family. Joining the Army JAG Corps is the biggest part of my American dream.
Furthermore, I have strong interest in public service. During college, I volunteered as a hospice caregiver, as a temporary live-in teacher at an orphanage in Inchon, Korea, and as a helper at a Christian center for the homeless. Whether it is by advocating on the behalf of a service member during court martial or by providing legal assistance in his or her civilian affairs, I want to serve the interests of our service members.
Finally, military service has been a proud part of my family history. My grandfather is a Korean War vet who served in the South Korean education unit, and my father served in the Korean Air Force. In addition, Mr. Leonard Johnson, my English tutor who served as an intelligence officer during the Vietnam War, shared many of his adventure stories. Influenced by their stories of valor and service, I successfully completed my school’s ROTC program in the Philippines where I had lived for four years before immigrating to the United States. Long hours of drill formations and PT’s, rather than unnerving me, helped me learn the value of discipline and camaraderie. I gained many fond memories and good friends through the program. Thus, these experiences contributed to my decision to join to the Army JAG Corps.
Positive qualities I bring to the US Army JAG Corps:
First, I have extensive leadership experience. In addition to my ROTC and service experiences, I have also served as the founding president of a student organization at Davidson College. My college, despite being in a rural part of North Carolina, attracted many Asian-American students with generous scholarships. However, unlike other minority students, there was no organization geared towards helping Asian American students. Through this new organization, I worked to increase cross-cultural exchange and provide mentorship to new Asian American students.
In addition, I have well-developed interpersonal skills. I learned to appreciate the importance of good communication skills. I believe that a person’s single word can weaken or strengthen a person’s spirit. I hope to use my interpersonal and communication skills to become an effective member of the US Army JAGS.
Furthermore, being recently licensed and having performed well on the NY bar exam (top 10% nationally on the MBE), I am ready to train and serve. Moreover, having actively participated in a high school debate team and law school moot court, I can be a persuasive orator. Moreover, my fluency in Korean will assist US Army JAG Corps in its interaction with the South Korean military.
Finally, I am physically fit and enjoy physical exercise. I was a member of varsity distance running team during high school. In college, I participated in rowing, which requires endurance,
teamwork, and discipline. These very qualities which I have retained will allow me to excel at the DCC and beyond.
