FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. –
I believe in the American dream, the dream of a land by which equality of opportunity is available to any American, allowing the highest aspirations and goals to be achieved.
I came to America 30 years ago after winning a Green Card, or Permanent Resident Card, lottery from my native country Macau. The hardest thing to do is to leave your comfort zone, but sometimes you have to let go of the life you’re familiar with to find the life you dream about.
I joined the Army Reserve in 1991 for the education benefits to pursue my dream of getting a college education. That opportunity has turned out to be nothing short of extraordinary. I ended up deploying overseas to support Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in 2003.
I joined the Pennsylvania National Guard in 2005 and commissioned as a Warrant Officer. It was the best and most rewarding decision that I have ever made in my military career. I received superior training, learned leadership skills and gained experience that I would not have the opportunity for in the civilian world. I volunteered to be an instructor for the Warrant Officer Candidate School, Regional Training Institute program in Pennsylvania from 2007 to 2020.
Currently, I am a traditional Guard member assigned to the Command Group at Joint Force Headquarters as a 420A Human Resources Technician. I am an Equal Opportunity Advisor and proud to support the mission of the Pennsylvania National Guard “to create and sustain an organization dedicated to mission effectiveness, valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion, by ensuring each individual has the opportunity, guidance, and information to reach maximum potential.”
I recently completed the Emotional Intelligence train-the-trainer certification and a coaching certification as part of my involvement with the National Guard Bureau Diversity, Equity and Inclusion pilot program started in 2021.
May is the celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are a small but fast-growing racial and ethnic group within the veteran population that deserves attention. I am proud that I could be a part of something greater. I work very hard every single day and will continue to do so until I retire to show all Soldiers that if you believe in yourself, do what you’re supposed to do and have the support of your family, you can be what you want to be.
The Army National Guard is fair in that, if you do your job, you can progress regardless whether you are male or female, white or black, or whatever background. I hope to use my time left in the military to pay it forward.
As a minority, I understand the challenge of fitting in. I encourage people to have a different perspective and switch their mind set from being a "cultural fit" to being a "cultural add" and view their differences as complementary and as a value-add. That mind set really helps me find the places where I feel I belong.
My goal is to continue to learn and mentor and teach others to take advantage of career opportunities and the importance of believing in yourself.
(Chief Warrant Officer 4 Mei Gentry is Equal Opportunity Advisor with Joint Force Headquarters, Pennsylvania National Guard.)