Thread: Joining military to get citizenship - there are easier ways

During the initial press conference before the naturalization ceremony, a reporter from Newsweek asked,
"Has there been any evidence of people joining the military just to get citizenship?"

Chertoff and most of the members of the military in the room openly laughed.

"There are far easier ways of doing it," Brig. Gen. Couch said.

He's right. Those who serve and risk their lives for a country not entirely their own
have taken a harder test to naturalization than anyone else.

http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58653
DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT LINES
Soldiers fighting for U.S. become citizens
Chertoff oversees naturalization ceremony in Saddam's old theater
Posted: November 13, 2007, 1:00 a.m. Eastern

Editor's note: Reporter Matt Sanchez, currently embedding with military units throughout both Iraq and Afghanistan, has been providing WND readers with a glimpse into the Iraq war most Americans have never seen.

By Matt Sanchez
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com

At Airbase Anaconda in Iraq, Brig. Gen. Gregory Couch pondered the irony, "We're swearing in new American citizens in one of Saddam Hussein's theaters, a place that was accustomed to a different type of spectacle."

For Veteran's Day 2007, 178 U.S. military men and women serving in Iraq became citizens of the country for which they are fighting, the United States. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff made the trip to Iraq's largest airbase to preside over the legalization ceremony of servicemen and women who traced their birthplaces to more than 53 nations scattered around the globe.

In 2004, President Bush signed into law an executive order to accelerate "naturalization during a period of hostility" for those who are serving in the American military. So far, more than 4,000 have become citizens under the new law, but up to 40,000 are eligible.

Marine Cpl. Tintu Parameswar, born in India, took advantage of the immigration fast-track while deployed to Iraq. The corporal has lived in the United States since the age of three, is currently on his second tour in Fallujah and serves with the 2nd Tank Battalion.

"There are more job opportunities," the corporal said about his decision to become a citizen. He'd like to make a career out of the military and intends to re-enlist during this tour.

Every single Iraqi and Afghan interpreter I've met has expressed interest in emigrating to the United States, but like anyone who has attempted to deal with the naturalization process knows, there are obstacles. The American embassy in Iraq is not a "visa issuing post." Iraqi interpreters who work with the American military are forced to go to an embassy outside of Iraq, which will require yet another visa.

Secretary Chertoff said immigration for Iraqi interpreters is an issue he intends to discuss with Ambassador Crocker upon returning to Baghdad. A government official said there were approximately 500 spots for immigrants with this special status.

The troops assembled in the Anaconda movie theater left their units to come from all over Iraq and raise their right hand to discard any "allegiance to foreign powers." I spoke to troops who had tried to do this on their own, back home and had stopped the process because it was too time consuming. There were others who had missed an important immigration interview because of duties and deployment. Still others, daunted by the task, had intended to get to it – eventually.

"This is a one-stop shop for immigration", said Emilio Gonzalez, director of Citizenship and Immigration Services and a former soldier himself. His employees were happy to travel to Iraq, from Italy, and process these applications.

One applicant, Army Staff Sgt. Daniel Brownie with 82nd Airborne, 2nd Brigade out of Fort Bragg, N. C., was born in Alberta, Canada. After middle school, high school and now the Army, Daniel has lived in the United States for most of his life.

But how did this Canadian national feel about being in Iraq and serving a country where he did not have the right to vote?

"I support our mission, I signed up for this," said Brownie. "I wanted to be a part of something greater than myself."

It's a little publicized fact many Canadians crossed the border to enlist in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War.

Of course, joining the American military meant the possibility of serving in a combat zone. Why not stay in Canada and join that service?

"I couldn't stand up tall and tell people 'I'm in the Canadian Army,'" he said. "I didn't even know they had an army."

Canadian military action is poorly viewed by a French and English-speaking public that gets nosebleeds just reading about the American military. So, how did Brownie come to have a different opinion about the American military machine?

"I love to be able to say I'm a part of the strongest military in the world."

The staff sergeant actually re-enlisted on the 4th of July this year.

When asked his opinion on the current illegal immigration debate, he was straight-forward. "I work in the Army and I have to go through the system, everyone else should go through the system too."

The general opinion of the men and women who finally arrived at their destination after a long journey is that citizenship is something to be earned.

During the initial press conference before the naturalization ceremony, a reporter from Newsweek asked, "Has there been any evidence of people joining the military just to get citizenship?"

Chertoff and most of the members of the military in the room openly laughed.

"There are far easier ways of doing it," Brig. Gen. Couch said.

He's right. Those who serve and risk their lives for a country not entirely their own have taken a harder test to naturalization than anyone else. Many servicemen killed in action have been posthumously granted citizenship.

"It's a privilege to become an American," said Brownie.

I have mixed feelings about this.

It should come with a rule that they cannot marry someone right away or sponsor relatives. As that is what is being done. I saw 2 high school Hispanic boys at the Army recruiting office today whose parents don't speak English. I was wondering if they were looking at doing the same.

Originally Posted by nntrixie

I have mixed feelings about this.

Please amplify your feelings.

• If these young men have passed the health checks, and they have, and
  if they have received their vaccinations for public health, and they have, and
  if they are drug-free and not subject to any outstanding warrant for arrest, and
  if they have learned functional American English, and they have, and
  if they have renounced allegiance to any foreign power, and they have, and
  if they have sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and they have, and
  if they have learned the basics of U.S. laws, and they have (at least the UCMJ),
  then

for serving in the military, perhaps they deserve a cut to the front of the line.

Of course, as a Vietnam vet, I'm partial to my combat brothers.

During the initial press conference before the naturalization ceremony, a reporter from Newsweek asked, "Has there been any evidence of people joining the military just to get citizenship?"

Chertoff and most of the members of the military in the room openly laughed.

"There are far easier ways of doing it," Brig. Gen. Couch said.

Not in 12 months there isn't!

I have a Canadian relative that is getting her residency and she wanted to join. She did that one quarter of the test they give potential recruits. In that mini test you need 30 to get in, many people whot try it get 13. In fact the army sometimes decreases the 30 to 22 as enough people don't score high enough and they need people. Anyone over 50 in the mini test is rare and my relative got 55 in it so they all want her. The problem is that if you are not a citizen you cannot do most jobs due to the fact you can't get security clearence. I went with my relative yesterday and found out that basically all you can do is combat in Iraq or the odd not very interesting jobs such as fueling and water purification. In the end it is not such as great way to get your citizenship quickly.

MinutemanCDC_SC

My feelings are that I am afraid, truly, at some point in time - in the too near future - our military will be turned on the American citizenry.

I think it will be much harder for the government to convince a military made up of our own citizens - sons, daughters, friends, relatives - on us than it will be a military members who are foreign born.

One thing we must do in this country is recognize this group who seems bent on destroying our country are not above despoiling and destroying everything we hold dear - and that includes our military. To think they would not is not looking at everything else that is being changed.


The practice of giving citizenship in exchange for service isn't new, I knew some of some in the 50's, but we have to admit, we are living in some very different times.

Unfortunately the war in Iraq caused the military to look at legal residents and not only citizens. After going with my relative to various recruiting offices I can honestly say that many American citizens in Miami are not passing the exam to get in. When on a quarter of the test they give potential recruits people are scoring an average of 13 and you need 30 to go on to the next step you have a problem. I am not saying citizens are incompetent but many who apply cannot pass the exam. In fact not that long ago I read an article in the newspaper that the military had problems with people being able to qualify. Some of the problems were due to people who are overweight, not physically fit, have a criminal record, suffer from attention deficit disorder, lack of discipline, and have been passed through the school system even though they should have been held back. Unfortunately this is reality. That is why the government is allowing residents to join and rewarding them with citizenship. Unless they the government pulls out of Iraq, there is no way around it.
Police departments are also having similar problems as the military as many people cannot pass the entire screening process but there you have to be a citizen. That is why many departments are short handed.

I don't doubt there probably is a lack of people who can qualify - at least of those that apply to the military.

When I say I have reservation, I was really thinking more about their allowing illegals into the military - that has been discussed and I don't like that idea at all. I'm sure there are already some in there - but it just doesn't seem like a good idea.

As far as legal residents, that's a little difference. To me, however, it just seems a little dangerous for a democracy to have a military that has a lot of people in it that are new to democracy - I guess that's the best way to put it.

As I said, I fear that our military will be turned on us someday - and the thought of a military that has many people not born here, not necessarily familiar with freedom to be part of it scares me.

That may seem harsh - but it has to be considered.

As for the police departments, I understand New MExico is considering going to Mexico to hire their policemen. Now that's what I want, to have our laws enforced by Mexicans.

The military thing, and this just seems like a little more of the blurring of the lines.

In order to join the military you need to be a legal resident and have a minimum of a stamp in your passport indicating that you have been approved residency or an actual letter from immigration that you are approved for residency. They will not take anything else. When you get approved you get a A number and the military actually verifies it.