Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) people have honorably served in the U.S. military since the War of 1812. Some of the most prestigious AANHPI military units of World War II include the 100th Infantry Battalion (composed of “Nisei,” or second-generation Japanese Americans); the Military Intelligence Service (Japanese American units of translators and interpreters); and 407th Air Service Squadron and 987th Signal Company (both composed of drafted Chinese Americans). AANHPI people also served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which was the most decorated unit for its size and length of service. In total about 14,000 men served, earning 9,486 Purple Hearts, 21 Medals of Honor, and 8 Presidential Unit Citations.
Filipino service members played a key role as early as 1901, when the first Philippine Scout company was created. Their mission was to restore order and peace in troubled areas. In 1942, the first Filipino Battalion was formed. There were so many volunteers that a second Filipino Battalion was formed that same year (VA - Center for Minority Veterans, 2013 (PDF | 430 KB)). According to the VA’s 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report (PDF | 2 MB), in 2021 there were 31.6 suicides per 100,000 Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander veterans
When providing supports for Asian Americans it is important to consider the different cultures, languages, and ethnicities that fit within the Asian population. The pan-ethnic term “Asian American” describes the population of about 22 million people living in the United States who trace their roots to more than 20 countries in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent (Pew Research Center).
In Mental Health of Asian American and Pacific Islander Military Veterans: Brief Review of an Understudied Group, the authors report that AANHPI veterans face many challenges, one of which is, “[AANHPI] veterans have poorer mental health than other veterans and are not receiving needed mental health services.” The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) identified that “[AANHPI people] have the lowest help-seeking rate of any racial/ethnic group, with only 23.3 percent of [AANHPI] adults with a mental illness receiving treatment in 2019.” Some identified reasons for lower help seeking were systematic barriers for care, limited availability of quality treatment, and a lack of culturally competent care, such as providers who use a more holistic approach.
Asian Mental Health Collective
The Asian Mental Health Collective’s (AMHC’s) mission is to normalize and de-stigmatize mental health within the Asian community. AMHC aspires to make mental health easily available, approachable, and accessible to Asian communities worldwide.
Japanese American Veterans’ Association
The Japanese American Veterans' Association, Inc. (JAVA), is a fraternal and educational organization with many purposes. JAVA preserves and strengthens comradeship among its members; perpetuates the memory and history of our departed comrades; educates the American public on the Japanese American experience during WWII; and strives to obtain for veterans the full benefit of their entitlements as veterans.
Sikh American Veterans Alliance
The Sikh American Veterans Alliance (SAVA) seeks to mobilize community members and policymakers to promote the core values of loyalty, unity, and selfless service intrinsic to both Sikhism and military service; fight religious extremism and intolerance; and strengthen the military by promoting inclusion and fostering a diverse force. SAVA works to strengthen our military while supporting a larger American community of civil rights and religious freedom advocates.