LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The thirst for freedom and hunger for an improved way of life is why one U.S. Army soldier sought asylum in the U.S. to escape his former homeland of Zaire, Africa under the tyrannical reign of former President Mobutu Sese Seko.
U.S. Army Spc. Ali Baharanyi is a 54th Engineer Battalion combat engineer and native of the Democratic Republic of Congo who now resides in Auburn, Ala.
Baharanyi originally hails from Lubumbashi, DRC, where he was born in 1974 when it was called Zaire. The DRC has been enmeshed in civil war for much of the last 15 years. Political, ethnic and state-based actors have vied with each other for control of its valuable natural resources. The war and genocide fought between a Hutu majority and Tutsi minority in Rwanda in 1994 spilled over into the DRC. The Hutu’s campaign of genocide against the Tutsi was a pretext for armies in neighboring Rwanda and Uganda to invade Zaire.
Growing up in Lubumbashi, the second largest city in the DRC, Baharanyi grew up having his basic needs met.
“I can’t say we lacked anything; but my dad was a visiting professor at Princeton University,” said Baharanyi. “He was spending most of his time outside the country.”
The war in the Congo became a part of Baharanyi’s life one night when soldiers visited his house. They were looking for Baharanyi due to his father’s political position against the authoritarian regime. The regime soldiers went to the back of the house and beat up two students who were renting the guest house; the regime was sending a message to Baharanyi’s father who supported a different political party.
After beating up the students, the soldiers tried to enter the house. Baharanyi’s mother and brother distracted the soldiers by making noise in one of the rooms while Baharanyi escaped to get help. He went to a wealthy neighbor with a private security force; the guards fired their weapons toward the soldiers until they left.
After the attack and home-invasion, Baharanyi’s family left Lubumbashi feeling it was no longer safe for them. Baharanyi soon finished high school and was reunited with his family in Bukavu. In a move to evade possible harm and escape the growing genocide of his family, Baharanyi moved with his father to America in 2006.
Life in the U.S. posed new problems for Baharanyi; not knowing English and extreme culture shock were some of the obstacles he encountered assimilating to American society.
“I didn’t speak English, and in my country the young have respect for older people,” said Baharanyi. “I found 18-year-old kids didn’t care about your age.”
Late 2006, U.S. officials granted Baharanyi asylum, and he decided to join the U.S. Army. After the Army denied his initial entry for several years because he did not have a green card, a National Guard recruiter assisted Baharanyi in 2009 after he earned his green card.
“I felt compelled to give back [by joining the Army] to the country that provided my family and me a safe haven when our own country took everything from us,” Baharanyi said.
Having a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural engineering and a Master of Science degree in bio-systems engineering/agronomy and soil, Baharanyi is fluent in French, Swahili, Kinyarwanda and Lingala. He chose to pursue a career as a combat engineer in the Army.
August 2010 marked Baharanyi’s graduation from basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., where he then graduated advanced training and earned the title of combat engineer.
Baharanyi held several positions in two different companies of the 54th Engineer Battalion. He works in the construction management squad, assisting in the construction of various projects and duties. Baharanyi aspires to become an officer so he can optimize his contributions to his new country.
“I want to serve my new country in the fullest capacity possible by using all my assets and experiences as an officer in the U.S. Army,” said Bharanyi.
There have been some setbacks for Baharanyi’s goal of becoming an officer. At his age of 36, he is unable to apply without a waiver.
“An officer in the battalion is helping me by finding out if we can possibly process an application for direct commission,” said Baharanyi.
Baharanyi is well liked among his peers and leadership. They said his positive work ethic, in addition to being able to manage whatever duties delegated to him, helps him stand out.
“‘Baha’ is a hard worker and really nice guy,” said Los Angeles resident U.S. Army Spc. Shiyan Liu, a CMS carpenter assigned to 54th Engineer Battalion who is originally from Beijing. “I feel very comfortable with him, because he offers me sound advice. Baha is a bit older than me and more mature than most people around here.”
U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Steven Barker of the 370th Sapper Engineer Company from Glendale, Ariz. is Baharanyi’s former first sergeant and thinks highly of his potential to become an officer.
“Since last September, I’ve known Spc. Baharanyi to be an extremely well educated Soldier and a decent family man,” said Barker. “He serves as an exemplary role model to all his peers while always seeking to improve himself and those around him.
“Baharanyi uses his intelligence to aid our battalion in company intelligence support teams, and he is able to brief higher forms of leadership with amazing ease,” continued Barker. “As an officer, Baharanyi will be a great leader both tactically and interpersonally. He has fair and impartial qualities and has been through more conflict than any one Soldier will ever know in their entire life. These experiences taught him strength and perseverance.”
| Date Taken: | 07.19.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 07.19.2011 21:24 |
| Story ID: | 73977 |
| Location: | LOGAR PROVINCE, AF |
| Web Views: | 262 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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