Photo By Capt. Daniel Yarnall | 106 Soldiers and 1 Airman become U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony held...... read more read more
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq - In 1991 a civil war forced a little boy accustomed to an upper-class lifestyle in El Salvador to flee the country with his family to seek refuge. Now that child stands in Camp Victory's Al Faw palace among 106 fellow service members who are all about to fulfill their dream of receiving U.S. citizenship.
Now a grown man, that boy's name is Spc. Hector Fernando Tobar-Castaneda, a combat medic with the 82nd Airborne Division. Born 1985 in El Salvador, Tobar remembers what it was like growing up there and having to flee at the age of 6.
"There was a lot of fighting going on, it wasn't safe. In our neighborhood there were a lot of people coming up missing, people getting killed, and my dad's car actually got blown up," said Tobar.
Life for the family was safer in the U.S. However, things were not exactly easier, according to Tobar. "In El Salvador we actually had it made. My dad had a good job; he was an agricultural engineer for 5 or 6 farms. We lived in a nice home and it was a good living. We went from the upper class to pretty much poverty level in the United States," he said.
With their new life in the U.S. the family started out sharing a one bedroom apartment with Tobar's grandfather in Los Angeles. Tobar's parents continued to strive toward a more comfortable life like the family was accustomed to in El Salvador. The family moved around a lot, and ended up settling in Nevada In search of that better life.
"Every time we moved, our situation got a little better until we finally moved to Mesquite, Nev. There we bought our first home in the U.S."
Tobar stayed there with his family for the next nine years. His father had to work two full-time jobs in order to provide for the family. However, it was his father's work ethic that taught him the value of hard work.
Tobar eventually moved out on his own and left Mesquite to go to college and study electrical engineering at the University Nevada, Las Vegas. After completing 22.5 credit hours he realized he couldn't afford to stay in school without aid.
"I wasn't able to get any scholarships or grants because I wasn't a citizen. It was a big obstacle. I had to find another way and I didn't want to get any loans so I joined the military."
It was 2007 when Tobar enlisted in the U.S. Army. Now this war-torn and poverty-stricken kid from El Salvador is on his second deployment as an Airborne Medic with the 82nd Airborne Division. But more than anything, as of Feb. 15, Hector Tobar can call himself a U.S. citizen.
With his new found citizenship Spc. Hector Tobar's goal is to finish his service and go back to school. "I have about nine months before my expiration term of service, I will be going back to study physical therapy," said Tobar.
Spc. Hector Fernando Tobar-Castaneda is truly grateful to have earned the right to call himself a United States citizen. "It's great that I don't have to wait any longer to call myself what I already am, an American."
| Date Taken: | 02.16.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 02.16.2010 01:13 |
| Story ID: | 45393 |
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| Web Views: | 473 |
| Downloads: | 404 |
This work, Hector Tobar Naturalization, by CPT Daniel Yarnall, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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