Tuesday - July 04, 2006

Welcome, Citizen Soldiers

I can’t begin to imagine how these 26 young soldiers must feel today. The Fourth of July. Becoming an American citizen. Fighting for freedom in Afghanistan. The only thing missing is a case of beer and a sincere “thank you” from all of us back home. Happy 4th Of July !!!

Soldiers Now U.S. Citizens in Afghanistan
_{July 4, 2006, 9:09 AM EDT}

BAGRAM, Afghanistan (AP) - They were soldiers from 21 different countries. But at the end of a short ceremony Tuesday at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, they pledged allegiance to only one: the United States. Raising their right hands, 26 young soldiers took an oath and became new American citizens during a naturalization ceremony held at the main U.S. military base north of Kabul.

“It is so fitting that today on the Fourth of July, when we celebrate our nation’s birthday, that we would take the time ... and have 26 fellow soldiers join us as fellow American soldiers,” said Maj. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, the U.S. operational commander in Afghanistan, who attended the ceremony. Under a fast-track law enacted in 2004, soldiers on active duty in the U.S. military are automatically eligible for citizenship. Normally, obtaining citizenship is a lengthy process that can run three to five years.

“It’s wonderful to see our soldiers get the benefit of citizenship,” said Pamela Hutchings, an officer with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services who flew in from Pakistan to administer the oaths. About 7,000 soldiers have become citizens under the fast-track program, according to the immigration service. On this day, there were soldiers from countries across the globe—Mexico, Kenya, Zambia, Bosnia-Herzogovina, Kenya, Zambia, and even Afghanistan.

Specialist Ahmad John, 27, originally from Kabul but now hailing from Los Angeles, California, said he has been dreaming of this day for years. “I feel great. I will be an American citizen. Since I was 10 years old, I had a dream that one day in America, I would be a citizen,” he said. John, a military linguist who speaks Dari, Pashto and Arabic, said he believes his skills are serving two nations. “I’m a citizen of America but I’m Afghanistan-born. I come back and I serve my motherland country and protect my homeland,” he said.

For Pfc. Joyce Nanquil, 20, of Temecula, California, getting naturalized was doubly meaningful because her older brother Alfer Nanquil, who is serving in Iraq, is also getting his citizenship the same day. Originally from the Philippines, Nanquil said she and her brother are the last in their family to become Americans. “I feel really great. Our family supported us joining the military.

Posted by The Skipper     on 07/04/2006 at 12:38 PM   
Filed Under: • Military •  
• Comments (5) • Trackbacks(1)  Permalink •  

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Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:

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It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

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