Thread: Marines become citizens

Marines become citizens
Stacia Glenn, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 08/18/2008 11:11:01 PM PDT


Indonesian native and Lance Cpl. Hero Dengah (formally Wenur) - a rifleman with Company G, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment - recites the Oath of Allegiance on Monday with 23 other Marines and sailors from 16 countries during the first naturalization ceremony at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms.

TWENTYNINE PALMS - It truly was a case of home being where the heart is.

The Marines came from all over - Kazakhstan, Jamaica, Guatemala, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, El Salvador, Indonesia, the Philippines - but Monday evening threaded them together with one common theme.

Their home is now officially the United States, a country they've defended overseas since the war on terror began.

"You may not only be our newest citizens, but you may be our greatest

Indonesian native and Lance Cpl. Hero Dengah (formally Wenur) - a rifleman with Company G, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment - recites the Oath of Allegiance on Monday with 23 other Marines and sailors from 16 countries during the first naturalization ceremony at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms. (Courtesy Photo)citizens," said U.S. Federal Court Judge David Carter, a former Marine who officiated the naturalization ceremony for 22 Marines and two Navy sailors.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials have naturalized more than 37,250 military members since Sept. 11, 2003, but this was the first ceremony held on a military base.

"They've already given an oath to defend this country," said USCIS spokesman Jorge Swank. "The government should make every effort to ensure we make these soldiers citizens."

President Bush signed the Expedited Naturalization Executive Order in July 2002, enabling non-citizens on active duty to immediately file for citizenship. Military personnel would normally have to serve a year before qualifying for citizenship.

More than two dozen Marines stationed at the base applied for citizenship in recent months. They had to be interviewed and correctly answer 10 computer-randomized questions on American history before they could become U.S. citizens.

Studying had to be done on their personal time and some commanders admitted they didn't give additional time to prepare for the test. Combat training came first.

Yet, the country's newest 24 citizens made it their priority.

Some said they wanted the right to vote, others said they wanted the ability to move up the ranks and obtain a security clearance.

"I wanted to be a citizen, it's just that simple," said Surafel Melake, 19, who moved to the country 12 years ago with his mother and sister from Ethiopia.

The group sat silently in their tan uniforms before the naturalization ceremony began, many thumbing through a citizen's almanac left on their seats.

Pride beamed on their faces as they listened to the national anthem with their fists held tightly at their sides and their eyes gazing at the American flag.

"I'm legally part of this country now. I think this country's great and I joined the military to give back," said Adolfo Gonzalez, 26, a Navy medic originally from Colombia. "Now the country's really accepting me."

Fourteen of the Marines naturalized Monday will be deployed to Iraq within the next month. All of them belong to the 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, which is currently the only mobilized Marine reserve unit.

Not all military personnel, however, have lived to become permanent U.S. residents.

USCIS has granted posthumous citizenship to 113 members of the U.S. armed forces.
http://www.sbsun.com/ci_10241839?source=most_viewed

It doesn't mention that they FIRST have to be LEGAL immigrants to become US citizens.

Originally Posted by miguelina

It doesn't mention that they FIRST have to be LEGAL immigrants to become US citizens.

I actually don't mind if this happens BUT it's not a reason to have the wife and kids also become Americans, just him.

Article head should read" Mercenaries Become Citizens" A Marine fights to protect his country, not to gain citizenship., boy that S**t piss's me off

Where they legal residences when they went into the services?

Originally Posted by vmonkey56

Where they legal residences when they went into the services?

No