Many immigrants join for the fast-track to citizenship. It cuts the time requirement for citizenship from 7 years to 3 years.
I've served with people from Central and South America, one from Vietnam, had a soldier that was from Nigeria, went to basic with a guy from Iran, and Airborne school with one from Canada who quit their army to join ours. I also remember a story where a whole tank crew of immigrants (one was Scottish, I remember) were killed when their Abrams rolled into an Iraqi canal. Immigrants are nothing new to the U.S. Army.
Hey, if Americans are too spoiled to serve in our army, then why not take them from elsewhere? I'd rather have motivated volunteer immigrants than unmotivated native-born draftees.
IMO, if you are killed in combat, you, yoru spouse, and your next of kin should automatically recieve citizenship.
Sad thing is, it'd be the only government program where you'd have to learn English. Though, they already send non-English speakers to English classes before basic.
I agree. Nor is this something new. Almost two thirds of the garrison at Fort Sumpter was Irish born many not citizens. Newly arriving Irishmen were mustered wholesale into the Union army.