FORT STEWART, Ga. - For one Soldier of 1st Battalion, 64th Armored Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, Third Infantry Division, a dream came true when he was sworn in as a U.S. citizen during a naturalization ceremony at the Atlanta Immigration Office, Jan 9, just 2 months before his unit's deployment to Afghanistan.
"Until the moment I took the oath of allegiance to the U.S. Constitution I did not believe it would happen for me before I deployed," said Spc. Junierandre Bastien, 1/64 AR Regt. and native of Haiti.
For Spc. Bastien, who started the paperwork when he deployed to Iraq with Delta Company, 1/64 AR in 2010, was told it would have to wait over 365 days.
"The whole process of getting my passport, getting my background checks, and getting the proper command signatures has been confusing," said Bastien. "I couldn't have done it without the help of my unit and fellow Desert Rogue battle buddy Sgt. Jason Kendell."
Sergeant Kendell who met Spc. Bastien the first day he arrived in Iraq has been Bastien's number one supporter throughout his naturalization process.
"Being asked to participate in this process was an honor. I could not hide my excitement when he called me during block leave and asked if I would be available to drive him to Atlanta because he had just received an envelope in the mail that he was eligible for citizenship," said Sgt. Kendell.
"In Iraq, after getting to know Spc. Bastien better, I learned that he had been asked if he wanted to get his citizenship at Basic Training but said no because he didn't understand what they were asking. Once I heard that, I promised him that I would do everything in my power to help him become a U.S. Citizen," said Sgt. Kendell.
Specialist Bastien said he learned what a great privilege it is to be an American citizen after he married an American citizen, and had two children, who were born with the privileges of citizenship and prosperity that he never experienced.
Specialist Bastien who has deployed before explained, "This time will be different because I finally get to deploy as a U.S. Soldier and Citizen, which will bring honor to both my Family and my country."
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