[0:00] So he said then why don't you go be a pilot? [0:03] You speak English, you are pretty good height. [0:07] So you're qualified to go be a pilot. [0:10] So I ask, I say, when they need a pilot? [0:14] In three days. [0:16] The time my heart drop. [0:19] I say shoot, one step closer [0:21] to war. [0:25] To understand the secret war of Laos, [0:26] you have to understand the Geneva Accords [0:29] and how the peace treaties affected countries [0:31] like Laos and Thailand from interfering [0:33] in a southeastern war called the Vietnam War. [0:36] This means that American troops couldn’t be in Laos. [0:39] It means that the CIA had to recruit local natives [0:42] to fight a war to defend the Ho Chi Minh Trail, [0:46] a supply route [0:46] that came from North Vietnam that went into Laos [0:49] and then went into South Vietnam. [0:52] So the objective of the, you know, secret guerrilla units, [0:55] where one is to protect the Ho Chi Minh Trail and two, [0:58] to protect radar sites set up by Americans. [1:02] The goal of Hmong [1:03] SGU’s at the time was to protect American lives. [1:10] I do it for the country. [1:11] Do it for America. [1:13] You know that the Raven actually, [1:16] it's the most dangerous job because, [1:21] every time we looking for target, we are there first. [1:25] If they have an anti-aircraft gun, [1:27] they are goiong to open on us first. [1:30] My primary responsibility is to talk to ground troops. [1:35] And then I talk to the pilot and have him [1:39] call out the air strike. [1:43] What we are looking for is Viet Cong. [1:46] And suddenly, only two of us. [1:49] Suddenly you see the flashing come across the front. [1:54] He dived. [1:54] I know that he dived left. [1:56] I dive right. [1:58] You will be so scared that...I’m a Christian [2:04] and I say God that was a close one. [2:09] Please protect me. [2:22] So when the Pathet Lao took over, [2:25] I knew that time is coming to move. [2:28] Because Hmong had sided with the Americans. [2:31] They had to seek refuge in Thailand. [2:34] And if they didn't, they were executed. [2:37] We carry the scar of the war. [2:43] We also carry the burden that being forgotten. [2:47] Because what we did was we [2:51] fight for America. [2:52] We fight for America. [2:54] And, not recognizing us as [2:59] the soldier is something we are very disappointed. [3:03] My father served the secret war in Laos from 1961 [3:06] to 75, in the secret guerrilla unit. [3:10] As you know it's a secret war. [3:11] And, a lot of young Hmong Americans like myself [3:14] didn't believe that war even existed [3:16] because we didn't learn about in schools. [3:19] And so when I found out that the participation of Hmong [3:24] veterans were indeed validated through their service. [3:29] And then I realized that I had to do something. [3:33] I had to recognize them [3:34] or give them recognition or advocate for them. [3:36] This bill includes a long overdue [3:39] recognition of veterans of the Secret War in Laos. [3:47] House file 1845 [3:49] is about giving recognition [3:50] to not only Hmong, but Laos and other indigenous [3:54] groups that were involved in the Secret War of Laos. [3:57] Grave markers, grave site, honor guard for burial, [4:02] and also allow them [4:03] to renew their driver's license without a fee and something [4:06] as simple as having a veteran's ID on their driver's license. [4:11] They can get a free meal on Veterans Day at a buffet. [4:14] These things are very, very little, [4:16] but they're so instrumental in restoring their dignity, [4:19] their honor, and recognizing them, [4:21] you know, for the the sacrifices they've made. [4:25] Can you imagine a refugee [4:28] like myself coming to America [4:31] now, a lawmaker in the state of Minnesota, [4:34] passing legislation to impact communities [4:37] to protect Minnesotans. [4:38] I mean, if that [4:39] is not the land of opportunity or the state of opportunity. [4:43] I don't know what is.