8th Military Police officer attributes success to brother-in-arms

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - According to the History Channel’s article, “How the End of the Vietnam War Led to a Refugee Crisis,” around two and a half million refugees were resettled around the world, including more than a million in the United States.

“My grandfather fought with the U.S. as a ranger during Vietnam. Our relationship deepened once I commissioned." - 2nd Lt. Corey Vo

Among the displaced refugees were the parents of 2nd Lt. Corey Vo, a military police officer with the 8th Military Police Brigade, 8th Theater Sustainment Command.

“As I remember the story, my parents met at a refugee camp in Thailand,” said Vo. “They were trying to escape Vietnam and found each other at the camp, and both eventually immigrated to the U.S. in California before I was born.”

Vo traces his family’s military service to his grandfather, who served and fought alongside U.S. forces during the Vietnam War in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.

“My grandfather fought with the U.S. as a ranger during Vietnam,” said Vo. “Our relationship deepened once I commissioned. We talk about how training was for him back then and how we train in the Army now.”

Vo’s upbringing alongside his two older brothers set in motion a strong intrinsic desire to push himself, and he attributed much of his success to their influence on him.

“You can tell his upbringing has driven his character as a leader today,” said Sgt. 1st Class Sean Young, platoon sergeant, Law Enforcement Activity – North, 8th MP BDE. “His maturity level and leadership prowess are higher than the average lieutenant I have come across in my career.”

Vo attributes his early success in the Army to his older brother and fellow Army officer, Capt. Colby Vo.

“My brother always pushed me to be better. That was his job as my older brother. He would say that if I was not better than him, he did not do his job right,” said Corey Vo. “Seeing him commission in the Army put the idea in my head. I had to make sure it was something I truly wanted to do for myself. I’ve always had my brother there to mentor me and guide me to do better.”

Vo followed his brother and was commissioned as a military police officer after graduating from California State University of Long Beach in 2023 with a degree in communication.

“You know I love communication,” said Vo. “I tell my Soldiers that every day, and they work the roads here on Schofield Barracks. They should be practicing their interpersonal communication skills daily. As an MP we interact with everyone, and you never know someone’s situation at the time. So, continuing to develop and having my Soldiers continue to develop those skills brings a bonus to the fight.”

Vo’s love for communication and conflict resolution fit seamlessly into his day-to-day mission of leading Soldiers and supporting law enforcement activities across Schofield Barracks and neighboring installations.

“Lieutenant Vo is the type of leader that you can give a task, commander's intent, and envisioned end state; then he will execute,” said Capt. Alexa Hernandez, commander, Law Enforcement Activity – North, 8th MP BDE. “That has allowed LEA-N leaders to focus on the bigger picture, knowing that our trusted leaders at all echelons can accomplish the mission with no fail.”

Vo continues to receive the highest praise from all those who work with him, and as expected, he defers the accolades and ensures his team receives all the credit.

“As a platoon leader, I’m always trying to put my best foot forward. I hope I am an asset to my company,” said Vo. “I want my commander, platoon sergeant, and Soldiers to look good. I do everything I can to make sure they have everything they need, whether that’s professionally or in their personal lives. My team is my main focus, and being the best for them drives me.”

Vo’s humble roots are what grounds him. He wants to be the best he can be for the ones he serves, and this is evident in the relationships he’s cultivated with those closest to him.

“Mentoring junior officers can be hard, especially if they are not humble and unwilling to learn; with Lieutenant Vo, it’s easy,” said Young. “As his senior enlisted advisor, he makes my job easy. He’s always ready to learn, to step up and be an example for Soldiers and has no problem asking for help if he needs it. I have been blessed and fortunate to have him as my officer.”

As the 8th Military Police Brigade transitions organizationally, officers like Vo stand out within the foundation as someone Soldiers can look up to and leaders can depend on.

“Corey is the right choice to highlight the great work our junior leaders are doing,” said Hernandez. “Sometimes being a Platoon Leader and executive officer can be a very “thankless” job, and we as leaders do not thank them enough. Taking the time to highlight this only shows that we are entrusting our junior leaders with the work they are doing every day!”