Tam “Tom” Pham, U.S. Army veteran and third-year student at South Texas College of Law Houston, loved serving his country in the Middle East for multiple tours from 2005-16, but he always felt a sense his service wasn’t complete.
When the U.S. military began its full withdrawal from Afghanistan in September 2021, Pham was concerned for the Afghan families, many of whom had served as close partners with various military units. Though he was busy with his law classes, his clerkship for Harris County District Court Judges Sonya Heath and Charles Collins, and his family obligations, the 11-year veteran felt drawn to help.
“One day in early fall, I received a letter from the Travis Manion Foundation calling for veterans who had served in the Middle East to join a project to help resettle Afghan refugees into our country,” Pham said. “With all my responsibilities here, I wasn’t sure I could make it work, but everyone encouraged me to go – my wife, my professors and the judges. My wife said, ‘Go; this is important, and you need this.’ ”
So in the midst of his final two law school classes, Pham — the son of refugees himself — flew to New Mexico and was driven to the site of a huge “city” of air conditioned tents housing Afghan men, women and children. For two weeks, Pham was teamed up with seven other veterans who had served in the Middle East, through various branches of the military. Though they were strangers at first, Pham said, they quickly bonded over their shared history and shared purpose.
“Early every morning, we helped load a big truck full of items like clothes, water, personal-care products, toys for the children and more, then we would personally deliver supplies to as many as 500 families over 12 hours,” Pham said. “We helped more than 10,000 people in just two weeks. The foundation specifically called for veterans who had served in the Middle East because, even if we still needed interpreters, we understood these families and their culture.”
Erin Frizzell, director of marketing and communications with the Travis Manion Foundation, said, “We sent out an email invitation to a list of veterans, and hundreds responded instantly. They had one week’s notice about an unpaid opportunity that required a day of training and two weeks away from home, and they were eager to go. These veterans worked with respected nonprofits to fill a gap as the nation scrambled to quickly resettle 120,000 refugees.”
While South Texas encourages service for all its law students, that service generally occurs in the summer or over breaks – not shortly after fall classes begin. But after Professor and Associate Dean Cathy Burnett learned about the unique service opportunity presented to Pham, she gave him her total support, as did other campus leaders.
“With the online options and tools we began using during COVID, we were able to quickly adapt to help Tam continue hearing recorded lectures and sending work back and forth – when he had Internet access,” Burnett said. “We love having veterans in our classes, and I was happy to work with Tam to help the Afghani families and to help him stay on track with law school.”
Now married with a young child, Pham grew up in Angleton, a small town south of Houston, and he joined the military at 17 with his mom’s permission. His mother raised Pham and his two older brothers mostly on her own, and she has always been this dedicated young veteran’s hero, challenger and inspiration.
“My mother’s family was very poor, and her dad was in the South Vietnamese army,” Pham said. “After the fall of Saigon, she was one of the boat people — the only one from her family to make it out. The rest were stuck under Communist rule. She only got a sixth-grade education, but she always made sure my brothers and I knew the importance of education.”
Pham describes his life as being “raised as American as they come.” He played football for Angleton High School, graduating in 2005 and immediately leaving for basic training. During his time in the Army, Pham managed to earn his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University while serving abroad — rare for an enlisted soldier, but fulfilling a promise to his mother.
During an overseas tour in 2006, Pham was injured and also lost one of his good friends. He earned a Purple Heart and eventually was unable to serve in combat roles. In 2016, he chose to leave the Army, get married, and start law school. He will graduate from South Texas in December, thanks to the encouragement and support of his wife Mary and his law school professors.
In addition to gaining a sense of closure through the service project for Afghan refugees, Pham said he also was reminded of something important he wants to share with all Americans.
“These Afghan refugees are wonderful people — teachers, doctors, shop owners, accountants — many with families,” Pham said. “They will be positive, valuable contributors to any community fortunate enough to receive them.”
Frizzell said the Travis Manion Foundation wants to provide opportunities for veterans to serve, whether in schools teaching character or at resettlement sites. “Investing in our veterans is an ongoing investment in our country,” she said. “Like Tam, many veterans just want to continue making a difference. They are called to serve.”
As a first-generation American, Pham identifies with the sentiment many of the Afghan families shared with him during his service project.
“They said again and again how grateful they are to be in this great country, and how thankful they are to be alive,” Pham said. “ I have always felt that same sense of profound gratitude, and I came to believe the way I could show my love for my country was through service. For the rest of my life, in whatever legal role I play, that’s what I want to do. I want to serve, and I want to make this world a better place for my kids.”
