Hmong and Lao Soldiers Fought in Secret During the Vietnam War

Aiming to stop what the US government feared might be a domino effect of Southeast Asia countries falling into the hands of the communists, the CIA recruited, trained and supported Hmong soldiers and medical personnel in a "quiet war" that unfolded in Laos. While these Hmong men and women risked their lives in their service to the US effort during the Vietnam War, they are not considered veterans because the CIA is not an official military branch. But the fight continues to provide those who served in the CIA operation the status and benefits of veterans who fought as part of the US Armed Services.

To learn more about the CIA’s efforts to stop the spread of communism deeper into Southeast Asia, and the amazing firsthand stories of sacrifice and bravery of the Hmong men and women who served in the operation, watch the full-length documentary America’s Secret War.

This story is part of the collection The Call to Serve: Stories of Sacrifice, War and the Way Home, which was funded by the Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation.