Vietnamese American Armed Forces Association The Vietnamese American Armed Forces Association ( abbreviated : VAAFA ) , ( Vietnamese : Hội Quân Nhân Người Mỹ Gốc Việt ) , is a non - profit , non partisan professional military association . It is the first military association for Vietnamese American service members in the United States . Its members are Active , Reserve , National Guard , and Veterans of the U . S Armed Forces ; Enlisted and Commissioned Officers from the five branches of the U . S . Military ; U . S . Army , U . S . Marine Corps , U . S . Navy , U . S . Air Force , and U . S . Coast Guard . Mission . VAAFA ' s stated mission is to provide professional development , mentorship , enhanced camaraderie , and networking for current and former Vietnamese American service members of the U . S . Armed Forces . Through fund raising events and activities , the association raises money to provide care packages for deployed service members as well as provide financial assistances to families ; in order for a member travel to the location of care in the event a military service member is wounded in the line of duty . VAAFA , also seeks to raise awareness of the contribution and sacrifices of Vietnamese American in the U . S . Armed Forces through active engagement of the Vietnamese Community through participation in community events and activities . As a military association , it does not endorse any political groups or activities . In 2010 , VAAFA established the Fallen Heroes Scholarship , for 12 U . S . Citizen or Permanent Resident Vietnamese American students currently enrolled in college or high school seniors . The Fallen Heroes Scholarship was established in memory of Vietnamese American military service members who have died in defense of the United States of America . History . In the Spring of 2007 , Lieutenant Commander Christopher V . Phan , Judge Advocate General ' s Corps , U . S . Navy , was deployed with the U . S . Navy SEAL to Iraq . He and several of the SEALs were trying to arrange a flight out of Baghdad when Lieutenant Colonel Tho V . Nguyen , U . S . Army , overheard LCDR Phan speaking at the reservation counter . The men struck up a conversation on the air field and made a commitment that they would stay in touch upon redeployment to the States . True to their words , LCDR Phan and LTC Nguyen remained friends after their deployment . They both knew and experienced the loneliness of serving overseas in harm ' s way and being far from their families . They wanted to establish an association in order to assist all Vietnamese American service members and their families to cope with the separation and loneliness . LCDR Phan and LTC Nguyen , along with Sergeant Thao Bui , U . S . Army , Captain Triet Bui , U . S . Army , and Captain Hien Vu , U . S . Air Force , met at Captain Bui ' s home and began drafting the by - laws and article of association for the Vietnamese American Armed Forces Association ( VAAFA ) on August 23 , 2008 . VAAFA received official recognition from the State of California on September 15 , 2008 . The association held its installation banquet on May 31 , 2009 . VAAFA ' s membership is growing and the association hopes to reach and serve all Vietnamese American service members , their families , and the Vietnamese American community . Past Events . 05 / 31 / 09 – Vietnamese American Memorial – Orange County , CA 05 / 31 / 09 – Installation Banquet – Orange County , CA 09 / 6 / 09 – First Bi - Annual Conference – Coronado , CA 09 / 26 / 09 – First Annual Care Package Donation Drive – Orange County , San Jose , CA 09 / 27 / 09 – First Annual Care Package Donation Drive – San Diego , CA 11 / 22 / 09 – A Gift From The Heart Donation Drive – Orange County , CA 11 / 26 / 09 – Alta Gardens Care Center Thanksgiving Day Visit – Orange County , CA 12 / 13 / 09 – Toy Distribution – Orange County , CA 12 / 19 / 09 – Toy Distribution – San Jose , CA 02 / 14 / 10 – Alta Gardens Care Center Tet Visit – Orange County , CA 03 / 05 / 10 – Fallen Heroes Scholarship Fundraiser Banquet – Orange County , CA Fallen Vietnamese American Service Members . SFC Tung M . Nguyen , USA SSGT Du H . Tran , USA SGT Long N . Nguyen , USA SPC Binh Q . Tran , USA SPC Dan H . Nguyen , USA PFC Tan Q . Ngo , USA LCPL Alan D . Lam , USMC LCPL Jeffery Lam , USMC LCPL Andrew S . Dang , USMC LCPL Victor Ronald H . Lu , USMC CPL Binh N . Le , USMC TSGT Thanh V . Nguyen , USAF