Photo By Staff Sgt. Ashley Bell | U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Cherry Ann Guevarra leads her fellow Service members in...... read more read more
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KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - The Oath of Citizenship was taken by 31 U.S. service members here, March 1, 2013.
The keynote speakers, S. Ken Yamashita, the U.S. Agency for International Development mission director to Afghanistan, and Robert Daum, director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Field Office, led a special naturalization ceremony at KAF. Pius Bannis administered the Oath of Allegiance to the new citizens.
Spc. Wilkin Ruiz Santana, born in the Dominican Republic, said the Army and his descendents were part of his reasons for seeking American citizenship.
“I always wanted to join the Army and when all this stuff – 9/11 - happened I wanted to do my part,” said Santana. “I have a kid now and he needs to have an American dad.”
Another new citizen is Army Spc. Robert James, born in Jamaica, who talked about his journey and why he enlisted into the Army.
“I was getting ready for school and I heard about the 9/11 attacks. I was upset about it and thought to myself, “who would actually do this to people,” said James. “I joined the Army to help do some good.”
The first naturalization ceremony was conducted in Iraq in 2004 when the law was changed to allow members of the military to receive their citizenship while serving overseas.
Since then more than 3,000 service members have become citizens of the United States while deployed overseas.
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 03.01.2013 09:45 |
| Story ID: | 102755 |
| Location: | KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, AF |
| Web Views: | 350 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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