Posted on 02/03/2006 3:20:02 PM PST by SandRat
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Feb. 2, 2006 Twenty servicemembers serving in Afghanistan became U.S. citizens Jan. 26 at a naturalization ceremony at the Enduring Freedom Chapel here.
Army Maj. Gen. Jason Kamiya, commander of Combined Joint Task Force 76, was the keynote speaker at the naturalization ceremony. He congratulated the new American citizens and told attendees how special it was that each of these soldiers served the United States faithfully without being citizens before. "Every one of these soldiers before you was willing to fight and die for the United States of America and yet they were not citizens," General Kamiya said. "I am very proud of their service and it is a pleasure for me to be able to serve those who have so unselfishly served America." One soldier, originally from Mexico, Army Spc. Juana Rodriguez, 3rd Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment, has served in the Texas National Guard for seven years and just five months ago put in her packet. "I've lived in Texas since I was 2 and I'm just really excited to be a citizen finally," Rodriquez said. "This really doesn't change anything for me with the military, because seven years ago I took an oath to serve this Country and I will continue to do that." Many of the soldiers plan on making a career out of the Army and said that being a U.S. citizen it'll help them with their careers. "I've been in the Army for almost two years now and I put my packet in April 2005, but wasn't able to be at the last ceremony," said Pfc. Rommell Bourne with C Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment. "I want to make the military my career and being a citizen will help in that endeavor." (Army Spc. Tiffany Evans is assigned to the 20th Public Affairs Detachment.) Bourne, originally from Guyana, South America, is very proud of his service and becoming a U.S. citizen. "America is a great nation and I am very proud to be able to finally call myself an American," Bourne said. "Know this," Kamiya said, "that you are true American citizens just like those of us born in America, you're not any less of one just because you weren't born in America. We in this room are all proud to serve with you and call you our fellow Americans." |
Welcome 20 new Citizens who choose to be Patriots first.
Anyone brave enough to stand and fight for this Country, I will be glad to call "Citizen".
God Bless and Keep them
Absolutely fantastic!!!
Congratulations to these Americans from one grateful American.
Amen ... it out to be a regular offering. God bless them for serving.
Great post!
This is great!
Awesome post!
Waitaminnit!!!! This CAN'T be true. How could anyone want to become a citizen of the most evil empire in the world? Everyone at DU, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, MS-NBC, NPR, & PBS knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that we have 46,000% unemployment, that 973% of the population is waiting for food in soup lines, and that McChimpy Bushhitlerhalliburtonenron runs the place like a dictatorship!
And you left out the Zionist plot as well. By the nose hairs of the prophet doom unto you!! ;)
Thank you for this reminder of how great our country is, and welcome to these brave, patriotic new citizens!
AMEN!!!
BTTT
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