Juliet Fang
Northwest Asia Weekly
Daniel Tran before PA-44.
“In the military, there is a saying that for every pilot, there is always a child with a dream. This is really true to me. When I moved to the United States from Vietnam at the age of 14, I knew I was Want to work in the aviation industry,” said Daniel Tran, a native of Seattle, who recently graduated from the U.S. Naval Officer Candidate School (OCS) in Newport. , Rhode Island.
“In my American public schools, there must be a culture that takes the traditional road to university, but I want something different,” he said.
“Even if I grew up in an Asian family, where there was a lot of pressure to pursue a certain profession, my life was built around becoming a pilot.
Daniel Tran and his wife Tiffany Chau Tran.
“So I applied to many military academies in my senior year of high school. My family is also very supportive of this decision, which may not reflect the situation of most Asian families. My parents, and now, my wife-they have become what I am today. Part. Without their support, I would not have achieved what I am now.”
OCS is a military school that aims to train civilians and conscripts to become highly effective military officers in the fields of engineering, finance, machinery, and communications. The 13-week course includes advanced classroom teaching and field training. Graduates of the school were appointed second lieutenants and joined the ranks of military leaders.
“OCS is definitely the most challenging thing I have ever done in my life,” Tran reflects. “This is not only a physical challenge, but also a great spiritual challenge. You must be fully prepared to come here.
“You must pay great attention to details, and be able to master a topic in a short time and perform tasks quickly. This is very real life, that way.”
In fact, graduating from OCS is not an easy task. In addition to continuous (and arduous) physical training, students must also take courses in naval history, navigation technology, navigation, and military law. School students must also abide by a strict honor code, and violation of this honor code will result in rapid expulsion. However, despite these obstacles, Tran found that the biggest challenge was going back to university to earn a bachelor’s degree.
“I enlisted directly from high school and joined the 142nd Electronic Attack Squadron based on Whidbey Island. I stayed there for a long time. After graduating in 2018, I decided to study for a bachelor’s degree in aviation science at Utah Valley University.
“By then, I had been away from the school environment for seven years,” he said. “I am not used to school anymore. I sometimes wonder if I am really suitable for a bachelor’s degree. Anyway, I keep my intentions and reiterate to myself that school is the most important thing. I must achieve my ultimate goal of becoming a pilot. , And I need a bachelor’s degree to achieve this goal.”
Although the school proved to be the main obstacle for Tran to become a naval pilot, he cited elements of the cultural background he grew up in an Asian family, which was crucial to his ultimate success.
“Everyone knows that Asian parents have strict discipline. I grew up under that discipline, and the needs it instilled in me always keep my goals close to my heart. And, of course, my parents think education is really important. I think growing up in an environment where education is very important has helped me through those difficult times in school.”
Soon, Tran will relocate to Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, to participate in the Navy’s introductory flight assessment. There, he will officially begin his dream of becoming a naval pilot.
“In the final analysis, what I really learned in life is that as long as I don’t deviate from the ultimate goal, there is no problem deviating from the traditional route,” he said. “My ultimate goal is to become a pilot. I didn’t get here as you traditionally did, but I persevered, and I came here.
Juliet’s contact information is info@nwasianweekly.com.
