OEF service members become US citizens

Photo By Sgt. Amanda Hils | A soldier holds onto his certificate he received from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during a naturalization ceremony on Kandahar Airfield, Feb. 10. Thirty-six soldiers, Marines and airmen were granted citizenship during the ceremony, receiving their certificates and viewing a video message from President Barack Obama, congratulating the newly naturalized service members.  

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, AFGHANISTAN

02.10.2012

Story by Sgt. Amanda Hils 

ISAF Regional Command South

KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – Thirty-six Operation Enduring Freedom Marines, soldiers and airmen participated in a naturalization ceremony on Kandahar Airfield, Feb. 10. After going through the processes of applying, testing and interviewing, these service members were finally granted their citizenship to the United States of America.

Maj. Gen. Jim Huggins, 82nd Airborne Division and Regional Command (South) commander; Ambassador Richard Olson, Coordinating Director for Development and Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy Kabul; and Robert Daum, director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services field office in Bangkok, Thailand, were on hand to speak at the ceremony, present the service members with their certificates of citizenship, and congratulate every one of them.

“I want to make my family proud of me, so I want to do something extraordinary,” said Spc. Qianqian Liu, a field medic with 1-10 Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, from Queens, New York.

Liu emigrated to the U.S. with her family in 2006 from Sian, China.
Before reciting the oath of citizenship and receiving their certificates, guest speaker Olson addressed the service members.
“In following the footsteps of all those before you that have taken the oath of citizenship, like them you give your best each and every day in pursuit of values that make our country great,” he said.

The final speaker addressed the group via a pre-recorded video.
President Barack Obama thanked the naturalization candidates for their service and welcomed them as fellow citizens.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to call you a fellow citizen of the United States of America,” he said. “This is now officially your country. To protect, defend and serve through active and engaged citizenship

These new citizens came from 17 different countries, with 36 different reasons for joining their respective service.

“When I was little, going back and forth between the embassies getting my green cards and stuff, I just always remember seeing the Marines outside the embassies,” said Lance Cpl. Jennifer N. Elder, a vehicle logistics operator with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371, born in Redding, England.

Now that she has her citizenship, Elder said that she hopes to put in a packet to become a Marine Security Guard- the same job as the guards who protect the embassies she visited so frequently when she was young.

• Date Taken: 02.10.2012
• Date Posted: 02.10.2012 09:53
• Story ID: 83666
• Location: KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, AF