Posted on 09/29/2003 8:49:53 AM PDT by Ex-Dem
He wears the camouflage of the U.S. Army. He's right now somewhere in Iraq, his mum doesn't know where, in a desert where soldiers from America get killed. But Rock Hill's Paul Conmackie isn't from America, at least originally. This grandson of a Royal Marine is a subject of her majesty the Queen, born in England. Conmackie's family came to America 13 years ago, and he joined the Army almost directly out of high school. After stints in Korea and other posts, his 2nd Cavalry unit left for the Middle East recently as part of a new wave of soldiers deployed.
"He couldn't wait to get over there," said Paul's stepfather, John Love. "I'm sure he's not unlike most other soldiers who do their duty. They leave the questions to the rest of us."
The military has many soldiers like Paul who are citizens of other countries; most can get their citizenship more quickly because of their service. Just last week in Charlotte, about 40 soldiers were naturalized, taking advantage of an order enacted by President Bush in 2002 that waives a three-year military service requirement for gaining citizenship.
Death cares not about green cards. The first soldier from the American military killed in Iraq was a noncitizen.
Paul carries the lilt of an accent but has never made his citizenship an issue, said his parents. He was a solid if unspectacular student, so his stepfather pushed the military, where Paul found his niche.
"He became a man in the Army," John said. "The American Army."
Paul, 23, is just another young man far away from home who has his mother, his "mum" as the Brits say, worried sick.
Paul left a screen saver on mother Jo-Ann Love's computer before he shipped out: "Bye Mum, Don't Worry."
"I understand how all these other mums feel now," Jo-Ann said. "The first thing people ask me is 'How's Paul? Where is he?' they want to know. I suppose him going to Iraq was inevitable."
Paul's 21-year-old sister, Rachel Conmackie, is proud of her brother, just like any sister would be. Paul told his parents that he wouldn't seek out other English soldiers in Iraq, but just do his duty like any other soldier. Paul's father said he's always been enamored by the American bumper stickers that say "My child is an honor student at" such and such a school. John wants to make a new bumper sticker for his car.
"How about 'My son is not an honor student, but he's in Iraq fighting for your honor student,'" John said. "Not bad, eh?"
Contact Andrew Dys at 329-4065 or adys@heraldonline.com.
As compared to the English who had/still have complete regiments of foriegn troops who have no chance to gain British citizenship?
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