Posted on 04/13/2008 3:53:40 PM PDT by SandRat
Two hundred fifty-nine foreign-born U.S. troops currently serving throughout Iraq became American citizens at al-Faw Palace on Camp Victory April 12, in the largest naturalization ceremony to date in Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jasmine Chopra, MND-C PAO.
CAMP VICTORY — Two hundred fifty-nine foreign-born U.S. troops currently serving throughout Iraq became American citizens at al-Faw Palace here April 12, in the largest naturalization ceremony to date in Iraq.
Among the newest citizens were several Soldiers who entered the United States as refugees from war-torn nations, including Spc. Simon Nbenye, an Arabic interpreter with Company D, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.
Born in war-ravaged Sudan, a place where youth are sometimes snatched from their homes and forced to fight as child soldiers in a bloody civil war, Nbenye and his family faced religious and racial persecution from the Arab-Islamic government.
“The situation was terrible for my family,” Nbenye said. “No jobs, no finances and too, too much violence.”
Part of the Nbenye family, including Simon, moved to the Sudanese capital, while other family members stayed south in the town of Maridi. Fearing his son would be forced to become a soldier, Nbenye’s father urged his son to flee Sudan.
“They go to your home, knock on your door and ask your father where you are. If he refuses to get you, they kill him, get you and put you in the army. There is no guarantee you’ll ever make it back home alive and they send you down to kill your own people,” Nbenye said. “I had friends from school who were captured, sent to fight and I have never seen them again.”
Travelling illegally through several countries in Africa including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Egypt, Nbenye finally connected with the United Nations office in Cairo and gained refugee status. He entered the United States legally in 2001.
“When they granted me refugee status, it gave me so much hope,” Nbenye said. “It meant for me a chance to start a new life in a safe place.”
In 2006, upon hearing the Army needed Arabic speakers to help with the Global War on Terrorism, Nbenye, fluent in Arabic, enlisted.
“America did something good for my life and my family by accepting me, so I decided I want to do something for the American people, to show them I am grateful,” Nbenye said.
Until he came to the United States, he had never truly experienced freedom, Nbenye said. “My whole life, there is war in my country. No peace, never knowing for sure if you go out, you’ll come back home. In America things are different. I feel safe.”
Now that he is a citizen, Nbenye hopes to get a better job, visit his family in Sudan and help them become American citizens too.
More than 40,000 service members are not American citizens, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). These foreign-born men and women have pledged commitment to the U.S. Constitution by serving in the military and many are availing themselves of a July 2002 executive order making members of the Armed Forces immediately eligible to apply for citizenship.
Nearly 5,000 service members have earned U.S. citizenship while serving abroad since 2004.
The best criteria for citizenship in my book. We need more people like that.
Outstanding.
BTT. I needed a smile this afternoon.
Glad to see it. I served in the Army with people from all over the globe. I think a pathway to citizenship THROUGH our US Armed Forces is the way to go. If you’re willing to defend your new homeland, all the better. :)
Get on that, Recruiters! If people wash out of Basic Training, they’re deported. One chance; end of story.
Hope this gave you one.
You have to love a patriot that when he feels safest in America he joins the Army.
We are offering citizenship as payment for serving in the military? I cannot buy this. Maybe I am cynical because I know of foreigners who joined the military for very wrong reasons.
Hey Dane,
These folks represent one kind of immigrant we should welcome.
Good for them! LEGAL immigration is a wonderful thing. My prayers go out to them to come home safely to the USA and build the American dream.
No. To join the military, you must already have a Green Card.
If you already have a Green Card, all you have to do to get U.S. citizenship is to safely sit on your @ss back in the U.S. for 5 years and pass a simple written and oral test.
Volunteering to get shot at in a war during your waiting period is strictly optional ever since they did away with the draft.
Are all of these legal immigrants or otherwise not 'illegal aliens'; or does the military accept illegals, and give them legal status? A Liberal acquaintance & former Marine was claiming to me that the Amnesty Bill was "no different" than what our military is doing." Before I slap him upside the email, I want the facts.
Thanks for that info, Polybius. I was pretty sure that was the case, but gald to have it verified. (see my #13)
There have been cases where illegal aliens have illegally enlisted with fake ID papers (just like, during World War II, there were many cases of 16 year-olds illegally enlisting with fake ID papers) but, when caught, they have been prosecuted for unlawful enlistment.
Thanks again. He really ticked me on this issue.
Welcome! (to them)
You know, I don’t know. You local military recruiter could answer that though.
My father-in-law, an immigrant from Norway, was granted U. S. citizenship through service in the U. S. Army in 1918-19. His “foreign” duty post was Marfa, Texas; his specialty carpentry. He was proud to have been part of it, and also of his 50+ years of American Legion membership.
Honors to your Father-in-Law.
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