3 , ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁– ▁April ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 ) ▁was ▁Senior ▁Ad visor , ▁Ira qi ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Def ense ▁International ▁Affairs . ▁ ▁Background ▁and ▁education ▁Col ▁Le ▁was ▁born ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁Sa ig on , ▁South ▁Vietnam . ▁ ▁He ▁imm igr ated ▁to ▁the ▁US ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁and ▁res ided ▁in ▁Northern ▁Virginia . ▁ ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁Virginia ▁Military ▁Institute ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁with ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Science ▁in ▁Elect rical ▁Engineering . ▁ ▁He ▁obtained ▁a ▁Master ▁in ▁Business ▁Administration ▁from ▁National ▁University ▁in ▁San ▁Diego , ▁California . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁he ▁earned ▁a ▁second ▁Master ▁in ▁Str ateg ic ▁Studies ▁from ▁the ▁US ▁Army ▁War ▁College , ▁in ▁Carl is le , ▁Pennsylvania . ▁ ▁Le ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁Vietnam ese ▁refuge e ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁post - war ▁generation ▁to ▁gradu ate ▁from ▁V MI ▁and ▁first ▁to ▁achieve ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁Colonel ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁Ar med ▁Forces . ▁ ▁Military ▁career ▁Le ▁entered ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁after ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Military ▁Institute ▁( VM I ). ▁ ▁He ▁started ▁as ▁a ▁Space ▁and ▁Miss ile ▁Officer ▁in ▁his ▁early ▁Air ▁Force ▁career . ▁ ▁Company ▁Gra de ▁assign ments ▁included ▁Cape ▁C ana ver al ▁A FS ▁and ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁A FB ; ▁other ▁duties ▁were ▁at