Sergeant Moua Yang joined the Californian National Guards three years ago after 12 years of teaching in the Sacramento school system, saying he wanted to do something different for the people fo California, like helping them during time of natural disasters.
But in mid-2005, his unit was called to serve in Iraq with the 49th Military Police Brigade. They were deployed to Iraq after 4 months of tactical training at Ft. Hood, Texas.
Moua says his unit's job..." is to make sure that we work with the Iraqi police force and officials so that they can get proper training and to become effective law enforcement officers, so that they can be a force, so that they can stop the terrorists before they can do anymore damages, and so that they can protect themselves and govern their country after American troops leave Iraq," adding that troops from his unit also work closely with the Iraqi police and help them in cases of deadly bombings.
Sergeant Moua Yang says he is happy to be in Iraq because he is doing something that is on the verge of being part of history, being one of the American soldiers who are helping the Iraqis establish a strong central government, politically and socially, to make sure that the Iraqi citizens have the same rights as the Americans do."
At the end of this exclusive interview, Sergeant Moua Yang also sends a message in Hmong to his relatives in Laos and California.
Listen to our Lao Diaspora report for details.