The Philanthropic
Justin Lee on serving in the U.S. Army and his work in community-oriented initiatives
Lt. Justin Jaesung Lee is a commissioned Army officer who has been on the front lines of California’s coronavirus response. He is a graduate from the University of Southern California, with a B.A. in International Relations and most recently, a Master’s in Social Work. He will be receive training in the next few years on active duty to become a behavioral health officer in the U.S. Army.
I sat down with Justin to discuss his experiences.
Tell us about the community you grew up in.
I was born in Corvallis, Oregon while my dad was pursuing his PhD in Biomechanics at Oregon State University. My younger brother was born while my mom was pursuing her PhD in Earth Science at OSU. We were a part of a tight-knit Korean-American community in Corvallis and genuinely enjoyed our time there. When I was nine years old, my parents decided to return to South Korea to become professors. My dad currently teaches at Kookmin University and my mom teaches at Chosun University.
After living in South Korea for a few years, I moved back to the U.S. and began living at my relatives’ home in Yorba Linda, CA. Although my family continued to live in South Korea, they decided that it’d be in my best interest to finish out my K-12 education in the U.S. and ultimately attend college there as well.
You’re the first person in your family to join the military. Why did you decide to join the U.S. military?
I first entertained the idea of joining the U.S. military after I was selected to attend a Summer Leaders Seminar at the United States Military Academy (USMA) during my junior year of high school. It was an eye-opening experience and during my short week at USMA, I learned about the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program.
My parents made it pretty clear when I was in high school that they’d support me to take out the necessary loans in order to pursue a college degree. I applied for an ROTC scholarship during my senior year of high school and was fortunately awarded a generous scholarship to attend the University of San Francisco (USF) with all expenses paid for by the U.S. Army. After two unforgettable years at USF, I transferred to USC to finish out my bachelor’s degree.
After obtaining your Bachelor’s degree at USC, you continued your education at USC to pursue a Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in Military Social Work. What sparked your passion for social work?
Leading up to my senior year at USC, I had a clear plan of what I wanted to do with my post-graduation and commissioning. I wanted to become an active-duty military intelligence officer and get stationed at a U.S. base in South Korea. But a big problem with this plan was that I had created this goal for myself when I was a freshman in college, and my passions and interests had largely shifted since then.
During my few years at USC, I became involved in various student organizations on campus that were service-oriented. One organization, Students Organize 4 Syria, focused on empowering and assisting Syrian refugees in Southern California that were resettling in the U.S. The other organization, Row to Row, gave me opportunities to uplift homeless children that resided at the Union Rescue Mission in Downtown LA.
As I was inching closer towards graduation, I realized that I didn’t want to pursue a full-time career in the military and that I wanted to immerse myself in community-oriented work. Pursuing a Master’s in Social Work would give me a great opportunity to do so. Thus, I applied to USC’s program and was gratefully admitted.
My military social work curriculum was different from the rest of my social work curriculum. Our introductory classes heavily focused on understanding military culture, allowing me to quickly learn that a plethora of major challenges faced by individuals and families are densely represented in military members and their families.
What is a challenge that veterans face that you feel does not receive enough attention?
Veterans face a huge struggle in finding communities to connect with following their departure from military service. After spending years in an environment where they’re all strongly encouraged to depend on one another, it’s hard for them to identify a camaraderie similar to the one they found during their time in uniform.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S., what are some military projects you have been tasked with working on?
I was knocking out my last semester of the USC master’s in social work program when the COVID-19 outbreak occurred in the U.S. My unit was activated in March to assist food banks, homeless shelters, and COVID-19 testing sites across Southern California, in order to support individuals and families that needed an extra hand during such challenging times.
We truly appreciate the work that you’ve done for our community and for our nation. Now, serious question: do you ever get tired of wearing camo, or has it grown on you over time?
Thank you for your kind and encouraging words, I really appreciate them! I don’t think I’ll ever truly get tired of being in the military because of the privilege to serve this great nation and its people.
I’m in a unique position where I can empower service members and their family members that are faced with challenges surrounding their mental health. To have an opportunity to shift the stigma surrounding mental health treatment within the military and veteran community is something I don’t take for granted.
That being said, I am really looking forward to getting married and starting a family in the future. I understand the challenges that come with serving in the military, not only for myself but equally for my loved ones. I believe the time to transition out of the military will come naturally, after considerable conversations with my partner and eventual kids.
To the young Asian Americans who aspire to make a difference in the world, what is your advice to them?
I think whether you are determined to make a difference or not, you are bound to impact the world in ways that you did anticipate. I encourage you to follow your inspirations and passions, but to never lose sight of the value that comes with balance. Don’t be so hard on yourself and enjoy/trust the process!
