Hollabbi has served in Afghanistan.
AB Wire
US Army First Lt. Varun Hollabbi was honored at the annual Spirit of India event in Dearborn, Michigan, on Sunday, for his service to the country.
While a freshman at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Hollabbi became interested in the military, wanting to try something different. He joined the Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) and today is a first lieutenant with a Bronze Star Medal he received for his service last year in Afghanistan, where he led a platoon, reported the Detroit Free Press.
“I saw the military as a viable career path,” Hollabbi, 25, of Canton said. “I thought there was nothing more noble that I could do. On a daily basis, I could feel like I’m having an impact on society, which is what I truly feel every day. It’s not just a regular job for me. … I didn’t see a lot of people take this path. I wanted to be a trailblazer and go for it.”
“We’re part of the fabric of this country now, and so I think it’s part of our duty now to serve,” Hollabbi said. “It’s a way to give back.”
There are more than 103,000 Indian Americans in Michigan, according to 2014 U.S. census figures. Municipalities in metro Detroit with sizable Indian American populations include Farmington, where 15% of the population is Indian-American, Troy with more than 10%, Canton with 9%, and Novi with 9%, show census figures.
When Hollabbi said he was joining the military, his family was supportive, though concerned he wouldn’t be able to maintain his vegetarian diet in keeping with his culture.
But the Army has vegetarian options, including in their ready-to-eat meals, said Hollabi. He said he finds the Army a welcoming and diverse place.
“The Army and the military as a whole is a pretty good reflection of our society’s diversity,” he said. “My platoon had people from all parts of the country, all socioeconomic backgrounds. It’s a representation of everyone. With my generation coming of age now, you see a lot more Indian Americans serving,” he was quoted as saying by the Press.
After graduating from the University of Michigan with a dual degree in neuroscience and political economics, Hollabi was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He was assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team with the 10th Mountain Division in Ft. Drum, N.Y., where he’s currently based.
Last year, he spent nine months serving in southern Afghanistan with the 1-89 Cavalry in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. Serving in Kandahar and Helmand provinces, he was in charge of an 18-man scout platoon.
Hollabi said the leadership lessons he learned will help in his career, which may include eventually becoming a medical doctor in the Army.
“You’re ultimately charged with making life or death decisions,” Hollabi said of his experiences in the military. “The implications of the decisions you make are a lot more intense than in the civilian world. We have the best military in the world, and I wanted to have the opportunity to lead the best.”
Hollabi said he hopes the public doesn’t forget about American soldiers serving abroad.
“Sometimes, we feel that for the general population, it’s kind of a forgotten war,” he said. “We still have soldiers in Afghanistan, in Iraq.”