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SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - For U.S. Coast Guard Seaman Tamas Scheuring, becoming an American citizen was a dream that began thousands of miles away in Budapest, Hungary. Growing up, Scheuring imagined one day living in the United States. Years later, that dream carried him across the Atlantic Ocean with two suitcases and a leap of faith.
Scheuring immigrated to the United States in October 2024 after being selected in the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, often called the “green card lottery.” Each year, the program grants a limited number of immigrants the opportunity to live and work in the United States. Scheuring’s odds were less than one percent.
When he learned he had been selected, he had only six months to move.
“I packed all my things into two suitcases, bought the plane ticket, and I just moved to Toledo,” he said.
Arriving alone in Ohio, Scheuring faced an uncertain start. He did not yet have a job or a permanent place to live, and he was navigating life in a new country where English was not his first language. Members of a Hungarian community group stepped in to help, connecting him with local families willing to host him while he searched for work. For several months, Scheuring moved between homes, relying on the kindness of people he had never met before.
“They literally opened their doors for a complete stranger,” Scheuring said. “I’m really grateful for them.”
Today, Scheuring says the families who helped him are no longer strangers, but an extension of his own family. Some have remained close friends and continue to support him as he establishes his life in the U.S.
Scheuring eventually found work in accounting and software engineering, but the jobs left him feeling unfulfilled. During his free time, he began volunteering at shelters, where he discovered a deeper sense of purpose.
“I found that it’s just what makes me really happy,” he said. “What gives me joy is to help people – to serve others.”
Since arriving in the U.S., Scheuring said the generosity he experienced from strangers and friends alike shaped his desire to give back.
That realization led him to enlist in the Coast Guard.
“Since I’ve been here and so many people helped me, I just feel like I want to earn my spot in my new country,” he said. “I think the military is a good way to do that.”
Scheuring graduated from Coast Guard Training Center Cape May in December 2025 with Recruit Company Echo-208. Completing the eight weeks of training required determination, especially while preparing for the citizenship process at the same time.
During the final week of training, one moment has stayed with him.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Kay Macy, one of his company commanders, recognized the effort it took for Scheuring to complete boot camp.
“Petty Officer Macy told me she’s really happy that I’m here, because she knows how hard this Coast Guard boot camp is, especially for those who English is not their first language,” Scheuring recalled. “Doing boot camp and studying for citizenship, in your second language, just to serve the country – she said that was awesome.”
For Scheuring, hearing those words meant more than simply finishing training.
“I got really emotional,” he said. “I will never forget she said that.”
After graduating boot camp, Scheuring reported to U.S. Coast Guard Station Golden Gate in San Francisco. He quickly began working toward the qualifications required of new crew members, including boatcrew, watch standing, and boarding team training. Scheuring says his new unit welcomed him immediately.
“It’s been great,” he said. “All of the command is really helpful, the nonrates are fun to work with. They are very kind people.”
A few months later, Scheuring experienced another milestone in his journey.
On March 5, 2026, Scheuring stood aboard a Coast Guard Station Golden Gate 47-foot Motor Life Boat in San Francisco Bay as it passed beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. Surrounded by shipmates and officials from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, he raised his right hand and took the Oath of Allegiance, officially becoming a U.S. citizen.
As he recited the oath, Scheuring reflected on the long journey that brought him there – from leaving Hungary, to building a new life in the United States, to enduring the challenges of Coast Guard boot camp.
“This is the moment you’ve been waiting for,” he thought to himself. “Be proud of yourself. You earned this.”
Now a U.S. citizen and a member of Station Golden Gate, Scheuring is focused on his career in the Coast Guard. His long-term goal is to pursue military medicine as a physician assistant. He plans to attend Health Services Technician “A” School and complete the prerequisite coursework required to apply to the Coast Guard’s Physician Assistant program. Scheuring hopes to remain in the service for at least 20 years, continuing to shape his future in the country he once dreamed of calling home.
Looking back on the journey that brought him from Budapest to San Francisco, Scheuring says he is deeply appreciative for the opportunity to serve.
“Being in the military is definitely not easy, but I'm grateful that I can serve my new country.”
| Date Taken: | 04.03.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.17.2026 16:46 |
| Story ID: | 561970 |
| Location: | SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
