By Sgt. Angiene L. Myers
4th Sustainment Brigade
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – Santa Ana, Calif., native Julio C. Cabrera-Diaz, a specialist in the U.S. Army became a U.S. citizen on April 5 at a naturalization ceremony held at the chapel.
Cabrera-Diaz, an Infantryman with the 1-160th Infantry Battalion based out of Inglewood, Calif., is originally from Mexico and is currently serving his first tour in Kuwait in support of the global war on terror.
Like the rest of the Soldiers, Cabrera-Diaz, was inspired to become a citizen of the country that he pledged to protect when he enlisted in the California National Guard.
"My family inspired me to become a citizen because my parents brought me here (America) to complete the American dream," said Cabrera-Diaz.
Applicants applying for citizenship of the Unites States would have to wait at least 10 years before applying for citizenship but as a member of the military service, Cabrera-Diaz was eligible to apply as soon as his enlistment began.
"My naturalization process took four months and the military helped because I didn't have to pay for my application fee and have to wait years to become a citizen," said Cabrera-Diaz.
During the ceremony, Cabrera-Diaz, promised to support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic, as a Soldier, this promise is not far off from the oath he took as recruit when he enlisted in the Army.
"Now that I'm a citizen, I feel like now I truly belong to a great nation ... I am very happy," said Cabrera-Diaz.
62 service members from 25 different countries representing three different branches of the U.S. military participated in the naturalization ceremony.
"It is really a commitment that all 62 are about to make," said Lt. Gen. James J. Lovelace, the U.S. Army Central Command commanding general, "it's a commitment they made long ago when they joined the military and pledged allegiance to the Constitution of the United States."
"The treasure of freedom is great," he said, "because we as service members serve in countries that don't have the liberty that we as Americans do."
"These 62 individuals took an oath and began a journey of honorable service to our country, which is to become their country," Lovelace said.
"These service members are about to become equal members of the American family," he said.