Interview with Brian Hwang, October 29, 2019

Partial Transcript: Go ahead and introduce your name, branch, and period of service and what rank you achieved.

Segment Synopsis: Hwang describes his contract with the Georgia National Guard. He mentions entering the infantry through the One Station Unit Training (OSUT) program, describing how he is currently a Cadet in a Transportation company. Hwang talks about being from Marietta, Georgia before joining the military. He describes attending the University of North Georgia for three semesters before transferring to the University of Georgia.

Subjects: Georgia Military Scholarship; HOPE scholarship; army; education; tuition assistance

Partial Transcript: You did basic training and infantry OSUT?

Segment Synopsis: Hwang describes training at Fort Benning in Georgia through the One Station Unit Training (OSUT) program that combines Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training. He discusses immigrating to the United States at the age of seven and growing up in poverty. He discusses his reasons for joining the military, and the lessons he's learned in training.

Keywords: Drill Sargents; South Korea; family; infantry; money; violence

Partial Transcript: So then you went for there to North Georgia?

Segment Synopsis: Hwang describes his difficult transition from OSUT to the University of North Georgia, mentioning that he found it difficult to obey his peers in the Cadet led program. He discusses balancing his school responsibilities with his service in the National Guard. He explains how he learned about the negative perception of cadets by other members of the military which motivated him to work harder. He mentions becoming a platoon leader in his transportation unit.

Keywords: Coast Guard; education; employment; infantry; leadership; money

Partial Transcript: Explain how you ended up transferring to UGA?

Segment Synopsis: Hwang describes his reasons for transferring to the University of Georgia in the Fall of 2016. He discusses not being deployed with the rest of his infantry unit because his contract made him nondeployable due to his work as a cadet with the transportation unit. He describes how he is on track to become a transportation officer for the National Guard.

Keywords: Canada; education; employment; mechanical engineering; military scholarship; overseas training

Partial Transcript: Is there anything that I didn't ask about that you'd like to talk about...

Segment Synopsis: Hwang describes military scholarships and their contracts. He discusses the possibilities offered by Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) that enabled him to support himself. He talks about the entitlement and bad behavior of his generation (Millennials). He describes his strong belief in the American Dream, stating that the United States is a land of opportunities.

Keywords: discipline; education; money; patriotism; progress; stereotypes