Immigrant Soldier becomes US citizen, deploys for first time

Photo By Adam Holguin | Pfc. Komla Koudolo is bid farewell as he walks with his unit, the 1313th Engineer Company, Indiana Army National Guard, toward an aircraft bound for the Middle East, Jan. 29 at the Silas L. Copeland Arrival/Departure Air Control Group on East Fort Bliss. Koudolo is originally from Aflao, Togo, a country in West Africa, and he became a U.S. citizen Jan. 26, three days prior to his first deployment. Photo by Adam Holguin, Mobilization and Deployment, DPTMS.  

FORT BLISS, TX, UNITED STATES

02.02.2015

Story by Amabilia Payen 

Mobilization and Deployment, DPTMS Fort Bliss

FORT BLISS, Texas -- A Soldier assigned to an Indiana National Guard unit became a U.S. citizen three days before departing for his first deployment from the Silas L. Copeland Arrival/Departure Air Control Group airfield on East Fort Bliss Jan. 29.

Pfc. Komla Koudolo, from Aflao, Togo, a country in West Africa, pledged his full allegiance to the United States of America Jan. 26 after three years of residency. He is assigned to the 1313th Engineer Company, which departed to Kuwait as part of the Army’s continued retrograde missions in the Middle East.

“I came to the United States by myself, and I don’t have any relatives here, and I’m trying to be independent and free like everyone else in the United States,” said Koudolo. “I’m really excited to become a U.S. citizen.”

Koudolo is one of four other Soldiers assigned to the 1313th Eng. Company who also became U.S. citizens.

Koudolo’s life has changed for the better ever since he came to the U.S., he said. Going from school and work, he found himself living with his parents and they ultimately were taking care of him. Becoming a U.S. citizen enabled him to be independent and free and he is proud to say he is now taking care of his parents who still reside back home in Togo.

As an engineer, Koudolo said he plans to explore his first deployment as a growing experience in his newly found life as a U.S. citizen, and his new career as a U.S. Army National Guard Soldier.

“My personal goals are to save money, explore a new country, and serve my country,” said Koudolo.

Koudolo said he also encourages others to join the Army.

“It’s not hard, I just did it,” said Koudolo. “Join the U.S. Army, the best job in the United States.”

Capt. Christopher D. Baton, commander of the 1313th Eng. Co., said he believes Koudolo has trained to the best of his ability, just like all of his Soldiers in the unit.

“We are all trained as we can be,” said Baton. “The training at Fort Bliss was phenomenal and provided an excellent opportunity to really look at the company’s standard operating procedures.”

• Date Taken: 02.02.2015
• Date Posted: 02.17.2015 18:03
• Story ID: 154665
• Location: FORT BLISS, TX, US