An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | March 5, 2024

Cobra Gold 24 Brings Washington Guardsman Back to Roots

By Sgt. Alec Dionne, 122nd Theater Public Affairs Support Element

CAMP RED HORSE, Thailand – Sgt. 1st Class Sotheara Chum has spent time as a Green Beret and an Army Ranger, with deployments worldwide. This time, Chum is training in Thailand at Exercise Cobra Gold 2024, but unlike previous trips, this one feels like coming home. Born in Thailand but raised in the United States, Chum is a living bridge between Thai and U.S. cultures.

Chum’s storied Army career has brought him to the Special Operations Detachment - Pacific with the Washington Army National Guard, based out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, serving as both the readiness and operations noncommissioned officer for SOD-PAC.

By serving in the Washington Army National Guard, Chum has reconnected with his ancestral homeland.

“To be back here in the homeland, it’s almost unreal … to not only see the land, breathe the air, feel the hot muggy sun, and to relay that all back to my family,” said Chum. “With the circumstances that we had coming over the border [from Cambodia] I should not have made it this far.”

While he was born in Thailand, Chum claims Lakewood, California, as his hometown. Chum’s family fled from southeast Asia and came to the United States due to political instability in their home countries. His family settled in a refugee camp in eastern Thailand near Sakeo and eventually settled in the United States as refugees.

After traveling around the United States in his childhood, Chum joined the U.S. Army.

“I started off in the infantry … but I wanted to do commando stuff, so I joined a Ranger regiment.”

After his time as a U.S. Army Ranger, Chum wanted a new challenge. U.S. Army Special Forces became his new home and brought him new opportunities.

“I did not learn how to speak Thai until I went to the Special Forces,” Chum said. “After finishing the school house, one day at dinner, [my mom] was talking in Thai and I was responding in Thai, I knew what she was saying. It was a great awakening moment.”

At Exercise Cobra Gold 2024, Chum has been working with the 1st Force Special Forces Division Headquarters Element, Royal Thai Army. Chum has connected with his Thai counterpart, a noncommissioned officer who has also spent time as a Thai Ranger and in the Royal Thai Special Forces.

“We have been talking in English, talking in Thai, and I have been talking in Cambodian with him,” said Chum. “It is funny, it is surreal, and I am so glad to be back.”

 

 

Related Articles
U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers from 1st Battalion 168th General Support Aviation Regiment assist in UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter load up in support of Enduring Partners at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., August 13, 2025. Enduring Partners 2025 is an exercise taking place in Lop Buri Thailand, bringing together the Royal Thai Air Force, Washington Air National Guard and the Washington Army National Guard.
Washington Army National Guard Prepares for Enduring Partners
By Sgt. Bianca Hayden, | Aug. 15, 2025
JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. - In preparation for Enduring Partners 2025 in Lop Buri, Thailand, soldiers from the Washington Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment (General Support), 96th Aviation...

A UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 140th Aviation, 96th Troop Command, Washington Army National Guard conducts water bucket training with Central Pierce Fire and Rescue, June 30, 2025, near Puyallup, Wash.
Washington Army Guard Trains in Water Bucket Operations
By Joseph Siemandel, | July 2, 2025
PUYALLUP, Wash. - To prepare for wildfire season, aviation crews from the Washington Army National Guard have been working to become certified in water bucket operations, completing as many repetitions as possible while...

Group photo for the Information Operations Subject Matter Exchange during the opening ceremony of Tiger Balm 2025 on May 5 2025 at Mandai Hill, Singapore.
Washington Guard, Singapore Team Up for Tiger Balm 2025
By Joseph Siemandel, | May 30, 2025
SINGAPORE – Washington Army National Guardsmen traveled to Mandai Hill, Singapore, this month to participate in exercise Tiger Balm 2025. It was the 44th iteration of the bilateral exercise between the Singapore Army Forces...