Photo By Spc. Cal Turner | Once sworn in as a U.S. citizen, Staff Sgt. Eteru Ane, the supply noncommissioned...... read more read more
Subscribe
By Spc. Nathan Hoskins
1st ACB, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs
LOGISTICAL SUPPORT AREA ANACONDA, Iraq – Seven Soldiers from the 1st ACB, 1st Cavalry Division, took the Oath of Allegiance and received a long sought after dream – to become a naturalized citizen of the United States.
American, Samoa native Staff Sgt. Eteru Ane, the supply noncommissioned officer in charge for Company E, 2nd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment was one of the seven to become a citizen that day.
"I joined the Army because I believe in the values of the United States – I believe in the military values," said Ane.
His hometown, very much like Hawaii, but smaller, is near and dear to his heart, but he is glad to be called an American, he said.
"It's like you [have mixed feelings] because it feels like your giving up your culture and taking in the American culture, but it's not like that at all. I'm proud to be an American," said Ane.
Ane started his paperwork while stationed in Fort Hood, Texas but didn't get confirmation of that paperwork until he was already overseas. Luckily for him, the U.S. Army has the Naturalization Program in Iraq.
The program allows Soldiers like Ane to finish their paperwork, interviews and to swear in as a U.S. citizen while fighting overseas, said San Antonio native Staff Sgt. Christa Sanchez, the senior paralegal for 1st ACB.
Ane knew it would take persistence, but after almost six years of ups and downs with the entire application process, he finally finished it.
"It's a really big deal for them. For us to process that stuff, you have to keep on it and make sure that we keep up with [it], because how would I feel if I were in their shoes?" said Sanchez.
Ane believed in the values of the U.S. and the Army enough to fight for them even though he did not yet share the same rights as his brothers-in-arms who fought next to him.
"That all falls under [the category of] what people take for granted. We have a lot of people here who aren't citizens who are willing to die for the rights of ... others'," said Ane.
"I just take for granted a lot of the things that we have just being from [the U.S.]," said Sanchez.
"When you're born with something, you get tired of it. It's like a toy you had. You play with it every day; then you just leave it in the corner. When someone comes along and they see it and you finally give it to them, they'll be happy with it because they've never had it before," explained Ane about becoming a citizen.
By having Soldiers come into the legal office to take part in this program of becoming citizens, Sanchez sees more clearly what Ane is talking about.
"We had a guy that came in and said he wanted to be able to be a citizen, because he had a lot of opportunities being in the states and in the Army that he never would have had if he had been working where he's from," said Sanchez.
With all the paperwork aside, Ane was able to enjoy the ceremony.
"I didn't know the ceremony was going to be that big. It was real nice how they did it," said Ane.
Along with a speech from Brig. Gen. Michael J. Terry, the commanding general of the 13th Support Command (Expeditionary), there was also a video montage themed around immigration and even a video message from President George W. Bush.
After the Oath of Allegiance was spoken, where once stood Samoans, Mexicans, Iraqis – 49 different nationalities in all – now stood 89 new citizens of the United States of America.
"I like being called an American," said Ane.
| Date Taken: | 02.19.2007 |
| Date Posted: | 02.19.2007 08:34 |
| Story ID: | 9170 |
| Location: | BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 85 |
| Downloads: | 15 |
This work, 'I hereby declare, on oath ...' 1st ACB Soldiers become U.S. citizens in Iraq, by SGM Nathan Hoskins, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT