As another Martin Luther King Jr. Day passes, we are prompted to remember how far we’ve come as a country in terms of race relations and, also, how far we have yet to go. The story of Pvt. Danny Chen is a sobering reminder that even as we celebrate our progress, we are not where we need to be yet.

Chen’s mother was informed on Oct. 3, 2011, that her 19-year-old son had died of a gunshot wound to the head while stationed in Afghanistan. In the weeks later, the sad details began to emerge to Chen’s family and the rest of the country. Over the course of six weeks, Chen’s peers subjected him to a stream of racist taunts and physical bullying, until he decided to take his own life. As the only Chinese-American soldier in his unit, he was judged not by the content of his character, but by the color of his skin in an organization that is supposed to represent the finest and most honorable of American ideals.

Chen joined the army because he wanted to “live for himself” and against his parents’ wishes. He was a good student; he could have done anything, but he chose to serve his country. He wanted to find a place where he might belong and experience the camaraderie he couldn’t find in high school. Instead, he found himself standing out more than ever before.

The military is not supposed to be easy. It is supposed to be tough on soldiers. But Chen was singled out and punished for his ethnicity, despite being born in the United States, despite his commitment to this country. It is, to say the least, a disappointing conclusion to a life that had barely begun. It also brings to light issues of inclusion and exclusion in the military.

The eight men who were allegedly connected to Chen’s case may be charged with negligent homicide and involuntary manslaughter, and the hearings will be held soon. Hopefully, the military deals with this investigation as transparently and seriously as possible and delivers justice if needed, so this kind of treatment can be eradicated. Chen may be one publicized case, but it is possible that many more suffer in silence.

The day Chen died, it was not only the extinguishing of one life, but three. His parents immigrated to the United States with the hope of building a better future for themselves and their only son, the very core of the American dream. To have it shatter in this way is heartbreaking.