Ceremony grants 11 Fort Hood Soldiers US citizenship

Courtesy Photo | Soldiers shake hands with all those in attendance after the ceremony July 23. (Photo by Julie Kelemen, Fort Hood Public Affairs)  

FORT HOOD, TX, UNITED STATES

07.30.2015

Courtesy Story

Fort Cavazos Public Affairs Office

By Julie Kelemen
Fort Hood Public Affairs

FORT HOOD, Texas - As a young boy growing up in El Salvador, Arnold Gomez Hernandez knew he wanted to come to America and to serve in the military.

“My grandfather served in the military and it is an honor and tradition in my family,” he said. “The only difference is that I am the first generation in my family to serve in the U.S. Army.”

Now a 20-year-old private, Gomez has realized his dream, earning his citizenship during a ceremony July 23 at III Corps Headquarters, where 10 other Fort Hood Soldiers joined him to become new Americans.

Following the presentation of certificates of U.S. citizenship to the 11 Soldiers, President Barack Obama spoke in a pre-recorded message that was played on TV screens set up in the East Atrium of III Corps Headquarers.

The Soldiers’ commander-in-chief congratulated the group on becoming citizens.

“Today, you raised your hand and have taken an oath of citizenship,” Obama said. “And I could not be prouder to be among the first to greet you as ‘my fellow Americans.’”

The process to obtain citizenship for Gomez began when he first came to the U.S. when he was 11 years old.

The first time he visited the U.S., he went to see his aunt and uncle in Garland. He returned to El Salvador, but later returned to Garland on a permanent visa.

Gomez joined the Army in 2014 after attending Sachese High School. He arrived at Fort Hood shortly after enlisting in August 2014 and began working as a cargo specialist. Gomez said that he took the citizenship exam two months later, in June.

Gomez still has family in Garland, but lives on post in the barracks with a roommate, Spc. Emmanuel Pinewood, who came to the United States from Ghana.

Pinewood was naturalized recently at a previous Fort Hood naturalization ceremony.

“I also received my citizenship not too long ago,” Pinewood said, “so I understand what a tremendous deal this is for him. Gomez is my battle buddy and I am here to support him.”

Among those celebrating Gomez’s accomplishment were Soldiers from his battalion, 49th Transportation Battalion, 4th Sustainment Brigade.

Gomez said he is proud to become an official U.S. citizen. His goal is to stay in the Army, possibly reclassifying and might become an officer someday.

He hasn’t been back to his hometown of Santa Rose de Lima in El Salvador since he moved to the U.S.

Gomez said he is happy to be stationed at Fort Hood because the post is located not far from family in Garland.

“My favorite thing about Fort Hood,” he said, “is that it is so close to home and I can go visit my family.”

• Date Taken: 07.30.2015
• Date Posted: 07.31.2015 14:33
• Story ID: 171766
• Location: FORT HOOD, TX, US