88 servicemembers become U.S. citizens in combat zone

By Spc. Edward A. Garibay, 16th Mobile Public Affairs DetachmentOctober 6, 2010

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1 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Servicemembers from areas of operation around Afghanistan raise their right hand while repeating the Oath of Allegiance in order to become U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 1. A total of 88 service... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Army Sgt. Barvin Santer, a Micronesia native, raises his right hand while repeating the Oath of Allegiance in order to become a U.S. citizen during a naturalization ceremony at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 1. A total of 88 servicemembers were... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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3 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Keynote speaker, Army Maj. Gen. Timothy McHale, deputy commander of support,U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, addresses the congregation during a naturalization ceremony at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 1. During the ceremony 88 men and women, from var... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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4 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Marine Sgt. Karol Lipinski, a Poland native, salutes the American Flag during the National Anthem for the last time as a non-U.S. citizen at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, during a naturalization ceremony, Oct. 1. During the ceremony, Lipinski, alon... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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5 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Army Pfc. Paul Fernandez-Cortez, a Mexico native, waves an American Flag during a naturalization ceremony at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 1. Fernandez officially became a U.S. citizen during the ceremony along with 87 other U.S. military serv... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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6 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Servicemembers from areas of operation around Afghanistan gather at Kandahar Airfield for a naturalization ceremony, Oct. 1. During the ceremony 88 men and women, from various branches of the U.S. military service, became U.S. citizens. The ceremony ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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7 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – A U.S. Marine receives his Certificate of Naturalization and a command coin from Army Maj. Gen. Timothy McHale, deputy commander of support, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, during a naturalization ceremony at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Oct. 1. A total ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Eighty-eight Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines from 37 different countries took the Oath of Allegiance and became U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony Oct. 1 at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

The naturalization candidates are natives of countries such as Afghanistan, China, Haiti, and Mexico, and all currently serve in the U.S. military.

Becoming a naturalized citizen is a way for people who were not born in the U.S. to become citizens. Naturalized citizens swear by oath "to renounce their allegiance to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty and vow to protect and defend the United States of America."

The remarkable thing is that this oath is not much different from the oath these servicemembers have already sworn when they joined the military, said Chris Bentley, press secretary for U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services.

"I think (the similarity in the oaths) makes the ceremony even more special for members of the military," Bentley said.

He said what made this naturalization ceremony so special is that it was held in an active combat zone for servicemembers who have been fighting for freedoms and liberties they had not even secured for themselves.

One of the recently naturalized citizens at the ceremony was Pfc. Liliana D. Sanchez, a Dominican Republic native and Afghan Air Force mentor for Headquarters and Support Battery, 117th Field Artillery Regiment.

"It fills you with pride because you're already serving your country, so it's that much more exciting when you become a citizen," she said.

Normally, immigrants need to be permanent residents for five years before they can apply for naturalization, but this is not the case for servicemembers. In 2003, former President George W. Bush signed an executive order stating that U.S. military servicemembers only need to serve one day of active duty time before they can file for citizenship.

"For some of these servicemembers (becoming naturalized) is a lifelong dream," said Bentley. "Other than a birth of a child or maybe marriage, it's the most important day in their lives. It's the day they become a United States citizen."

"It feels great," said Sanchez. "I'm officially a part of America."

Related Links:

Fact Sheet: Naturalization Through Military Service