Thread: Army extends immigrant recruiting to L.A.

Army extends immigrant recruiting to L.A.

By Alexandra Zavis and Andrew Becker
May 4, 2009

The lanky 19-year-old from South Korea has lived in the Southland since he was 9 years old. He is as comfortable speaking English as his native Korean. And he desperately wants to join the Army.

Late last week, the teenager walked into a recruiting office in an Eagle Rock mall wearing a pendant shaped like a dog tag around his neck. Until recently, local recruiters would have had to turn him away. His student visa would not have qualified him to enlist. Only citizens or permanent residents who carry green cards were eligible to serve.

But starting today, 10 Los Angeles-area Army recruiting offices will begin taking applications from some foreigners who are here on temporary visas or who have been granted asylum.

In all, the pilot program, which was launched in New York in February, seeks to enlist 1,000 military recruits with special language and medical skills, most of whom will join the Army. Response to the program has exceeded expectations, drawing applications from more than 7,000 people around the country, many of them highly educated, defense officials said.

Those who are accepted will get an expedited path to citizenship in return for their service. "Ever since I entered high school, I was waiting for this opportunity," Jason, the 19-year-old aspiring soldier, told recruiters as they helped him prepare documents to submit today. "As soon as it came, I just jumped."

The Army requested that applicants' full names not be used because, in some cases, it could put them or family members at risk in their home countries.

Although the Army has been meeting or exceeding its recruiting goals, defense officials say there is a shortage of soldiers with medical, foreign language and cultural abilities needed in the war on terror and peacekeeping efforts around the world.

"What we're looking for are critical, vital skills," said Naomi Verdugo, assistant deputy for recruiting in the office of the assistant secretary of the Army.

The Army hopes to enlist 333 healthcare professionals, including doctors, dentists, nurses and others. It is also looking for 557 people with any of 35 languages, including Arabic and Yoruba, spoken in West Africa. Spanish is not on the list. An additional 110 slots are earmarked for other services, which have not yet started taking applications for the program.

Although the effort is limited in scope, it has raised concerns among some veterans groups and advocates for tighter immigration controls. They question whether the policy shift could pave the way for large numbers of foreigners, including ones who might have entered the U.S. illegally, to join the armed services.

"By aggressively recruiting foreigners abroad, or illegal immigrants who could use such a program to get legalized, we could easily create a situation where the Pentagon comes to rely on cheap foreign labor," said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington D.C.-based think tank.

"That's not where we are now. . . . But we always need to be careful that we don't start going down a steep, slippery slope."

Defense officials emphasize that the program is only open to foreigners who have lived legally in the U.S. for at least two years, including students, some professionals and refugees.

Those who enlist are required to meet the same physical and conduct standards as other recruits and exceed the educational standards. They are also vetted by the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, and they will not be granted waivers for any criminal offenses.

Foreign-born residents have a long history in the U.S. armed forces.

Under a wartime statute invoked in 2002, those who serve can apply for citizenship on the first day of active duty. Naturalization fees are waived. About 29,000 people with green cards are in the military and about 8,000 enlist each year, according to Pentagon figures.

Recruiters have already signed up 105 people with targeted languages and two medical professionals under the new program.

More than 60% of those enlisting under the pilot program have at least a bachelor's degree, compared with roughly 7% of those joining the Army through regular channels.

Their average score on a required math and verbal aptitude test is 79 out of a possible 99 points. That's compared with 62 for the average citizen or permanent resident who enlisted in the Army in the 12 months ending in September.

As word of the New York pilot program spread, many people traveled across the country to apply.

The 107 enlisted so far include 13 California residents, officials said. Less than half came from the New York area, including New Jersey.

Jason was among those who traveled to New York. But he arrived so tired after an overnight flight that he failed to score the minimum 50 points on a sample aptitude test.

By extending the program to Los Angeles, Army officials hope to make it easier for applicants on the West Coast to be considered and to ease the pressure on New York recruiters.

They also want to reach a broader range of language experts. So far, most of the recruits have been Korean, Indian and Chinese language speakers. The Army needs more people with languages used in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, among others. Only four of the recruits enlisted as Arabic speakers, one speaks Urdu and one speaks Punjabi.

Staff Sgt. Joshua Cannon, who commands the recruiting station where Jason is applying, is pleased to be able to sign up more aspiring Americans. The policy restricting applications to people with green cards has been a source of frustration to local recruiters, who have struggled for years to find qualified applicants in a city with many immigrants, especially when the country is at war.

Cannon said his office had been getting calls about the new program for months. For most of the callers, the biggest draw is the chance to become citizens in as little as six months, he said. The normal naturalization process can take five to 15 years.

To retain their citizenship, participants must honorably complete at least five years of service.

When Jason heard he could apply closer to home, he headed straight over. This time he scored a respectable 67 on the sample aptitude test.

After 10 years of living with the uncertainty of temporary visas, he too is hoping to finally become an American.

His mother, who raised two children alone, never bothered to apply for green cards for the family, so now he faces the possibility of being summoned back to South Korea for mandatory military service.

Jason is also looking for a way to complete his studies at Pasadena City College.

His mother's grocery store is struggling, so he had to defer for two semesters after his first year to help keep the business going. Although his mother worries that Jason could be sent to Iraq or Afghanistan, he will not be dissuaded.

"I would have to go to the army in Korea anyway, so let's make it count for something," he said. "A new life. A new beginning."

alexandra.zavis@latimes.com

abecker@cironline.org

This story was reported and written in collaboration with the Center for Investigative Reporting in Berkeley, a nonprofit news organization. Andrew Becker is a CIR staff reporter. Alexandra Zavis is a Times staff writer.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me ... 3914.story

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!

Just wait.....next it will be illegals!!! I believe that has been the plan all along!

Originally Posted by carolinamtnwoman

Just wait.....next it will be illegals!!! I believe that has been the plan all along!

I thought they did take illegals?
The title should have illegal immigrants in it.
If they get expedited citizenship doesn't that mean they are illegal?

Staff Sgt. Joshua Cannon, who commands the recruiting station where Jason is applying, is pleased to be able to sign up more aspiring Americans.

Staff Sgt. Joshua Cannon is getting more money for meeting a quota OF MORE ASPIRING AMERICANS. It should be more aspiring to be AMERICANS dumb dumb.

I'M GETTING SICKER BY THE DAY....

Originally Posted by WorriedAmerican

Originally Posted by carolinamtnwoman

Just wait.....next it will be illegals!!! I believe that has been the plan all along!

I thought they did take illegals?
The title should have illegal immigrants in it.
If they get expedited citizenship doesn't that mean they are illegal?

I'm not sure, but I think they have to have at least some type of temporary status which would then be expedited into citizenship. Clarification anyone?

Originally Posted by WorriedAmerican

Originally Posted by carolinamtnwoman

Just wait.....next it will be illegals!!! I believe that has been the plan all along!

I thought they did take illegals?
The title should have illegal immigrants in it.
If they get expedited citizenship doesn't that mean they are illegal?

No ILLEGAL alien can join any branch of the U.S. Military.

Until recently they had to be at least a permanent legal resident
but now a person here on a work visa or a student visa can apply to join.

They do not have to accept anyone that they don't want.

Go back and read the entire article.

There are some very interesting FACTS in bold now.

Naturalization Process For The Military

USCIS recognizes the important sacrifices made by non-U.S. citizen members of the United States armed forces and their families and is committed to processing their naturalization applications in a timely and efficient manner while providing exemplary customer service, maintaining the integrity of the immigration system, and the security of the process. Qualifying military service is generally in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and certain components of the National Guard and the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve.

Qualifications

While a member of the U.S. armed forces must meet some of the general requirements and qualifications to become a citizen of the United States, such as good moral character, some of the requirements are either reduced or completely waived.

Specifically, qualifying service members and certain veterans are not required to pay an application fee or a biometrics fee to apply for naturalization, and are not required demonstrate residence or physical presence in the United States. Additionally, service members who serve during specifically designated periods of hostilities may not need to be lawful permanent residents.

Additionally, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 extended all aspects of the naturalization process, including naturalization applications, interviews, oaths and ceremonies to members of the U.S. armed forces serving overseas. Before Oct. 1, 2004, military service members could only naturalize while physically within the United States.

Finally, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 added Sections 319(e) and 322(d) to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), allowing certain eligible spouses and children of members of the U.S. armed forces to naturalize abroad without traveling to the United States for any part of the naturalization process.

Service in Peacetime

Section 328 of the INA applies to all members of the U.S. armed forces or those already discharged from service. An individual may qualify for naturalization under this provision if he or she has:

•Served honorably in the military for at least one year;
•Obtained lawful permanent resident status;
•Filed an application while still in the service or within six months of separation.

Service in Wartime

Section 329 of the INA applies to members of the U.S. armed forces who serve during specifically designated periods of hostilities. This section is sometimes referred to as wartime naturalization. An individual may qualify for naturalization under this provision if he or she has:

•Served honorably in active-duty status for any period of time;
•Such active-duty service was during a specifically designated period of hostility;

Unlike all other provisions for naturalization, a qualifying service member is not required to be a lawful permanent resident to naturalize under this provision if the service member enlisted or was inducted within the United States or other qualifying geographical area.

The Expedited Naturalization Executive Order of 2002 provides for expedited naturalization under this provision to qualified aliens and non-citizen nationals serving honorably in an active-duty status in the U.S. armed forces beginning on Sept. 11, 2001 to the present. This section also covers veterans of designated past wars and conflicts.

Assistance to the Military Community

•Specially trained USCIS customer service specialists at the Nebraska Service Center staff the toll-free Military Help Line (1-877-CIS-4MIL). They assist service members, their families, attorneys and others representing them with military-specific naturalization and immigration issues.
•Specialists across USCIS have been selected to handle military naturalization packets, and each consider this responsibility a privilege and an honor, and do all that they can to ensure that applications are processed and completed as expeditiously as possible.
•In addition, every military installation has a designated point-of-contact to assist service members in preparing the naturalization application packet. This contact is generally in the military legal office or in the personnel division. Service members should use this contact to help prepare and file a complete naturalization application packet.

Application Packet

The service member’s naturalization packet will include:

•Application for Naturalization, (USCIS Form N-400)
•Biographic Information, (USCIS Form G-325B)
•Request for Certification of Military or Naval Service, (USCIS Form N-426);
•If applicable, a copy of the USCIS Form I‑551, Permanent Resident Card; and
•Two passport-style photographs.
Members of the military applying under sections 328 or 329 of the INA are not required to pay a fee for their naturalization application.

Fingerprint Requirements

Five fingerprinting methods are available to service members:

•Have their fingerprints taken at any domestic USCIS Application Support Center (ASC) without an appointment even if their application is not yet pending with USCIS.
•Have their fingerprints taken at select military installations in the United States by USCIS personnel using mobile fingerprinting equipment.
•If USCIS fingerprinted the service member in the past for immigration purposes and USCIS is able to use these fingerprints, USCIS will re-submit these fingerprints to the FBI.
•Authorize USCIS to acquire and use the fingerprints taken at the time of enlistment by completing and submitting the Fingerprint Authorization.
•Have their fingerprints taken at U.S. military installations overseas or at U.S. Embassies and Consulates using the FD-258 fingerprint card.

Posthumous Benefits

•Section 329A of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides for posthumous citizenship to certain members of the U.S. armed forces. A member of the U.S. armed forces who served honorably during a designated period of hostilities and dies as a result of injury or disease incurred in, or aggravated by, that service (including death in combat) may receive posthumous citizenship.
•The service member’s next of kin, the Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary’s designee in USCIS must submit the application for posthumous citizenship within two years of the service member’s death by filing an Application for Posthumous Citizenship, (USCIS Form N-644).
•Posthumous citizenship establishes that the deceased veteran is considered a citizen of the United States as of the date of his or her death.
•A surviving spouse (even if he or she remarries), child, or parent of a member of the U.S. citizen member of the armed forces, (including a service member granted posthumous citizenship), is eligible to apply for naturalization benefits under section 319(d) of the INA if the family member meets naturalization requirements other than residence and physical presence.
•For other immigration purposes, a surviving spouse (unless he or she remarries), child, or parent of a member of the U.S. armed forces who served honorably on active duty and died as a result of combat, and was a citizen at the time of death (including a posthumous grant of citizenship) is considered an immediate relative for two years after the service members dies and may file a petition for classification as an immediate relative during such period. A surviving parent may file a petition even if the deceased service member had not reached age 21.

Military Naturalization Statistics (through March 31,2009)

•USCIS has naturalized 47,481 service men and women since September 2001. This includes 6,593 service members naturalized in ceremonies overseas and onboard Navy flagships at sea.
•In May 2008, USCIS conducted the first overseas naturalization ceremony to include a military spouse. Since that time, USCIS has naturalized 128 military spouses in overseas ceremonies in Germany (77), Italy (10), Japan (11), South Korea (21), Spain (3) and the United Kingdom (6).
•In February 2009, USCIS hosted the first overseas naturalization ceremony for the child of a Sailor stationed in Japan.
•Since August 2002, USCIS has granted posthumous citizenship to 119 members of the U.S. armed forces.
•The United States conducted overseas military naturalization ceremonies during World War II (20,011) and the Korean War (7,756).

Naturalizations of Military Service Members in the United States

Sept. 2001
FY-02
FY-03
FY-04
FY-05
FY-06
FY-07
FY-08
*FY-09

138
2,434
4,659
6,327
6,106
6,643
4,541
6,356
3,684

Naturalizations of Military Service Members Overseas

Country
FY-05
FY-06
FY-07
FY-08
*FY-09
Total

Afghanistan
40
87
80
105
77
389

Djibouti
0
19
6
0
2
27

Germany
311
320
148
135
82
996

Greece
0
2
0
0
0
5

Iceland
0
2
0
3
0
2

Iraq
184
705
684
644
438
2655

Italy
75
57
56
13
12
213

Japan
174
419
183
349
77
1202

Kenya
0
1
0
0
0
1

Kosovo
0
0
7
0
0
7

Kuwait
42
110
60
110
38
360

South Korea
164
160
121
149
77
671

Spain
39
7
6
0
1
53

United Kingdom
1
6
3
1
1
12

Total
1,030
1,895
1,354
1,509
503
6291


* FY-09 October 2008 - February 2009

Related Files
•Naturalization Process For the Military (81KB PDF)

Last updated:05/01/2009

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I thought Obama, the "commander and chief" promised to downsize the military. Why would you make a move like this to add to it?

Just another Obama campaign lie?

Let me understand this... You are going to offer asylum seekers, that have fled war torn countries and threats on their lives join the military? Does that make any sense? They were scared and ran from it in their homeland but they will join the military to get closer to it. Come on!

And as to the foreigners who are here on temporary visas OM Goodness are you out of your minds!!!!!!!!!! Why would you put a foreigner that has no allegiance to this country in a fox hole? That is outright STUPID! The military would never come clean on one of those guys if they become saboteurs and behind friendly fire.

Dixie