Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Profile: Chaplain (Maj.) Thi Truong

By Douglas Mallary, NMNG Public Affairs

With the fall of Saigon in 1975, opportunities and even safety itself diminished for the South Vietnamese. Many families chose to emigrate, Chaplain (Maj.) Thi Truong’s among them.

Truong, 51, remembers flying out of Saigon aboard a U.S. military transport plane. He vividly recalls a Marine firing a flare gun out the door to distract heat-seeking missiles while the plane lurched in evasive maneuvers. The plane and its occupants eventually landed safely at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

From then on, Truong has felt a connection to U.S. veterans of the Vietnam War.

“God brought my life full circle to serve the men and women who saved my family,” he said. “The seeds of my becoming a chaplain were planted before I knew it.”

Truong refers to Vietnam veterans as those who “suffered in silence.” When Truong returned from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, he noted that Vietnam veterans were there to greet his unit as they arrived in the U.S., regardless of the time of day or night.

“They wanted to make sure that what happened to them didn’t happen to us,” he said.

Truong’s extended family scattered to Guam, the Philippines, Canada, Switzerland, California, Virginia, and Kentucky—often in pursuit of educational opportunities.

“The Asian community is about getting things done to prepare for opportunity,” Truong said.

“Our family tried to gather in Kentucky,” he said. The war continued to cast a shadow over the family, particularly for his father who had been a prisoner of war. Truong’s parents divorced and he went to Florida with his mother.

Truong studied broadcasting at Arizona State University and had a stint as a sportscaster in Guam. He also tried his hand in the business world before finding his true calling.

Graduating from Phoenix Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree, Truong entered active duty as a chaplain in the U.S. Army. He completed a 15-month deployment to Iraq and an 11-month deployment to Afghanistan.

During a chapel service in Afghanistan, Truong looked out at the congregation. He noted that it crossed all lines—racial, ethnic, social, economic, even religious denominations. The significance was not lost on Truong.

“It was probably one of the most powerful worship experiences I’ve ever had,” he said.

Truong left active duty after ten years. He and his wife Shavonne moved to Dallas, where she completed her nursing degree. They are expecting their first child in August.

The couple moved from Dallas to Los Lunas, N.M., where Truong entered the prison ministry. He also joined the New Mexico Army National Guard. Sometime later, retired Col. Steven Garcia, then the Chief of Staff, informed Truong that the NMARNG had an opening for a full-time chaplain.

Truong took the job and didn’t look back.

“I really appreciate the support of the command,” he said.

He presides over religious services, performs marriages, organizes Strong Bonds retreats, and frequently offers invocations and benedictions at a seemingly endless list of ceremonies.

Being a military chaplain, according to Truong, includes a duty to “honor the dead and nurture the living.”

Like any other member of the New Mexico National Guard, Truong has been involved—proudly—in the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID was a time for the state to shine. I believe it’s a Chinese philosophy that says crisis and opportunity are two sides of the same coin,” Truong said. “As for the response of the Guard, I couldn’t be more proud.”

As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, Truong said, “My hope is that we learn to prioritize what’s important, such as a grandparent seeing a grandchild for the first time.”

Truong looks for the positive in every situation.

“Anything can be redeemed if we give it to God,” he said.

When they are not working, Truong and his wife prefer to be outdoors. Hiking is a favorite pastime. While stationed in Hawaii, they learned to surf and scuba dive. The couple also enjoys exploring New Mexico.

“New Mexico has all these pockets of surprises,” Truong said.

Truong plans to remain in the New Mexico National Guard and continues to marvel at life in his new country.

“I’m grateful how the U.S. affords us an opportunity to get an education and grow and develop and pursue the American dream,” he said.