Latest news with #militaryservice
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
The Soon family's amazing military odyssey
Retired lieutenant Soon Tet Leong's journey in the Royal Malaysian Navy was all about service, sacrifice and solidarity. PETALING JAYA : On Lorong Berani ( lane of the brave) in Butterworth, Penang, a modest home exudes quiet heroism. Inside, framed moments and keepsakes of the Soon military family chronicle a tradition defined by sacrifice. Each item whispers of courage passed down through the Soon family, whose Chinese heritage has been intertwined with Malaysia's uniformed ranks for decades. Seven Soons once stood in uniform together across the army, air force and navy. From World War II medics to modern elite officers, the Soons' proud line of service stands as a testament to loyalty beyond ethnicity. The family's narrative reminds us that allegiance to king and country can be as much a family heirloom as a well‑worn photograph. Retired navy lieutenant Soon Tet Leong, 74, who is of Chinese-Gujarati parentage, is the family's chronicler. In the 2019 anthology, 'Memoirs of the Malaysian Armed Forces Veterans', he challenged claims that Malaysian Chinese lack patriotism or shun national service. Some of the Soons who stood shoulder to shoulder in uniform, (from left) Tet Leong, Tet Loy, Tat Kong and Tet Seong pictured during Chinese New Year in 2018. (Tet Leong pic) 'Our story depicts all the good ingredients of citizenry, loyalty, and love for the homeland,' he declared in a chapter tracing his lineage. Tet Leong said his article, titled 'A family serving the nation', was a typical Malaysian story about migration, ancestry, homeland and loyalty. Tonight, he will help launch the book's follow‑up, 'Memoirs: Malaya and Borneo at War', published by the Malaysian Armed Forces Chinese Veterans Association (Macva). It is a collection of firsthand recollections spanning the Malayan Emergency, Indonesian Confrontation and decades of counter‑insurgency. The first Soon In the early 1800s, Soon Ah Yoong fled the turmoil in Guangdong, China, and arrived in Malaya. Born around 1790, he settled in Bukit Mertajam, where his descendants would make their mark. Ah Yoong died in 1862 and stands as generation one in the family's ancestral archive. By mid‑20th century, his family members, including Tet Leong's late father, Boon Sooi, from generation five, were on the front lines of defence. The Soons during Chinese New Year last year at their family house in Butterworth. Roots in wartime sacrifice In 1942, brothers Boon Sooi and Boon Leong enlisted in the royal army medical corps at Tanglin Barracks, Singapore. Hoo Eng Chong, the future husband of their sister, Boon Chin, joined them. Together, the medics dubbed themselves the band of brothers. Boon Chin joined the police force at a time when it was uncommon for women to be educated, let alone be proficient in English. She was the stenographer to the British chief police officer for Kedah and Perlis during the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960). The band of brothers endured the fall of Singapore, makeshift field hospitals under fire, and captivity as prisoners of war after the British surrender on Feb 15. Released on separate marches home, Boon Sooi and Boon Leong trekked overland. Eng Chong remained interned until June 1943, when the Japanese sent him to build the death railway in Siam. Generations three, four and five in 1929 at the Soon family house in Bukit Mertajam. Tet Leong's uncle, Boon Leong and father Boon Sooi are the young ones seated third and fifth from right respectively. (Tet Leong pic) Their survival forged the family's ethos of grit and unity. Both brothers passed away in 1988, six months apart, but their tradition lived on. In the 1950s, as Malaya moved toward independence, the other Soons branched into the tri-service. Military life became their hallmark, not merely a career choice. Generation six Tet Leong followed suit, and was commissioned as a Royal Malaysian Navy officer in 1979. He served in the navy's first frigate, KD Hang Tuah, that conducted operations like Ops Cabut to prevent arrivals of Vietnamese refugees fleeing their homeland. Tet Leong rose to engineering officer before taking optional retirement in 1992 at age 40. His second career was in the oil and gas industry. Husband and wife defenders, Soon Tet Leong and Loo Lee Fum, at the ministry of defence's central officers mess in 1980, the year they got married. (Tet Leong pic) His wife, retired Lt-Col Loo Lee Fum, cultivated the family's service spirit. In 1977, Loo and Toh Lian Sim, from Kuala Terengganu, became the only Chinese cadets admitted to the army's first women's intake. Both Loo and Toh were selected to join the royal intelligence corps due to their educational background, and ability to speak in multiple dialects and languages. Her father, Loo Yok Tian, a rubber trader turned home guard volunteer in 1953, once defended remote villages against communist insurgents in Baling, Kedah. Soon Boon Chin (seated fifth from right) sits proudly as the only woman among male Kedah police personnel during an event in 1957. (Tet Leong pic) The couple's sons, Pow Lee, 43, and Pow Yik, 39, both born on Feb 28, honed their discipline at the Royal Military College. Their seven-year-old granddaughter, Yu Hui, continues as the eighth-generation Soon. In retirement, Tet Leong and his wife lobby through Macva for better recognition of tri‑service contributions and improved veteran transition programmes. Inspiring the next generation Across the globe, countries celebrate military dynasties with pageantry and parades. Here, families like the Soons and others such as the Thongs, Yuens, Kwongs, Rodrigues, Stevensons and Lais remain largely unsung. Their sacrifices never grace school syllabi or national remembrance ceremonies. Worse, self-serving politicians forget the contributions of all races in nation-building. Yet their steadfast allegiance, captured in worn service registers and cherished photographs, is as vital to Malaysia's story as any battle plan. As the next generation weighs life paths, the Soon family's saga offers both inspiration and a challenge: to recognise that devotion to king and country can be the finest inheritance of all. To purchase 'Memoirs: Malaya and Borneo At War', visit Macva's website.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
K-pop's ‘Face Genius' Cha Eun-woo gets his marching orders, to enlist July 28
SEOUL, May 31 — K-pop heartthrob Cha Eun-woo is swapping the stage spotlight for military stripes this July, as his agency Fantagio confirmed on Thursday that the 28-year-old singer-actor will officially enlist in the South Korean army on July 28. Known for his breakout role in True Beauty and as the 'Face Genius' visual of Astro, Cha will be joining the army's military band. Fantagio shared in a statement: 'Cha Eun-woo, who recently applied to join the military band, received the final acceptance letter from the Military Manpower Administration today. He will enter the training camp on July 28 to receive basic military training, and then perform his duties in the military band.' The bittersweet announcement marks a significant pause in the star's ever-rising career, though fans — affectionately called Arohas — have known this moment would come. Military service is mandatory for all able-bodied South Korean men, typically lasting 18 to 21 months. Fantagio took the moment to thank fans for their unwavering support, saying: 'We would like to express our gratitude to the Arohas who have always given endless love to Astro... We ask everyone to give Cha Eun-woo strong support so that he can faithfully perform his duties and return in good health.' The agency also confirmed that his enlistment details will remain confidential to 'prevent safety accidents due to crowding.' Before the uniforms and bugles, though, fans can expect one last emotional hurrah. In June, Astro will reunite on stage at South Korea's Inspire Arena for a two-night concert, Stargraphy. The event is already shaping up to be a momentous send-off, especially with former member Rocky — who departed the group in 2023 — rejoining them for the show. Adding to his sentimental swan song, Cha also made a brief but memorable appearance in IU's recent music video 'A Beautiful Person'.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
K-pop's ‘Face Genius' Cha Eun-woo gets his marching orders, to enlist July 28
SEOUL, May 31 — K-pop heartthrob Cha Eun-woo is swapping the stage spotlight for military stripes this July, as his agency Fantagio confirmed on Thursday that the 28-year-old singer-actor will officially enlist in the South Korean army on July 28. Known for his breakout role in True Beauty and as the 'Face Genius' visual of Astro, Cha will be joining the army's military band. Fantagio shared in a statement: 'Cha Eun-woo, who recently applied to join the military band, received the final acceptance letter from the Military Manpower Administration today. He will enter the training camp on July 28 to receive basic military training, and then perform his duties in the military band.' The bittersweet announcement marks a significant pause in the star's ever-rising career, though fans — affectionately called Arohas — have known this moment would come. Military service is mandatory for all able-bodied South Korean men, typically lasting 18 to 21 months. Fantagio took the moment to thank fans for their unwavering support, saying: 'We would like to express our gratitude to the Arohas who have always given endless love to Astro... We ask everyone to give Cha Eun-woo strong support so that he can faithfully perform his duties and return in good health.' The agency also confirmed that his enlistment details will remain confidential to 'prevent safety accidents due to crowding.' Before the uniforms and bugles, though, fans can expect one last emotional hurrah. In June, Astro will reunite on stage at South Korea's Inspire Arena for a two-night concert, Stargraphy. The event is already shaping up to be a momentous send-off, especially with former member Rocky — who departed the group in 2023 — rejoining them for the show. Adding to his sentimental swan song, Cha also made a brief but memorable appearance in IU's recent music video 'A Beautiful Person'.
CNA
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNA
South Korean actor Cha Eun-woo will enlist in the military in July
South Korean actor Cha Eun-woo, 28, will enlist in the military on Jul 28, announced his agency Fantagio on Thursday (May 29). The True Beauty star and member of K-pop boy group Astro will serve in the army's military band. In South Korea, upon turning 18, all able-bodied men are required by law to perform 18 to 21 months of military service. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 차은우 (@eunwo.o_c) In a statement, Fantagio said: "We would like to express our gratitude to the Arohas (Astro's fans) who have always given endless love to Astro. At the same time, we would like to inform everyone that our artiste Cha Eun-woo will enlist in the military. "Cha Eun-woo, who recently applied to join the military band, received the final acceptance letter from the Military Manpower Administration today. He will enter the training camp on Jul 28 to receive basic military training, and then perform his duties in the military band." The agency added that "in order to prevent safety accidents due to crowding", Cha's enlistment location and time will be kept confidential. "We ask everyone to give Cha Eun-woo strong support so that he can faithfully perform his duties and return in good health." Cha recently starred in the music video of IU's A Beautiful Person. In June, he and the other members of Astro will stage a two-night concert at South Korea's Inspire Arena. Titled Stargraphy, the concert will also feature former member Rocky, who left the group in 2023.
Washington Post
7 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Uncle Sam's new message to young Black Americans: I don't want you
Phillip E. Thompson, a former judge advocate in the Marine Corps, is a lawyer in Virginia. I am a proud Marine veteran with deep ties to military service. My wife served in the Air Force, my father fought with the Marines in World War II, and my grandfather served in the Army in World War I. I've spent much of my life surrounded by fellow veterans, bonded by sacrifice, stories and a belief in the ideals the military represents. My car boasts a Marine Corps decal, and my sense of identity has been forever shaped by the uniform I once wore.
