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20 Soldiers in Afghanistan Become U.S. Citizens
American Forces Press Service ^ | Feb 2, 2006 | Spc. Tiffany Evans, USA

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.

Click photo for screen-resolution image

Sgt. Paul Daug and Staff Sgt. Noah Edmund raise their right hand and recite the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Jan. 26. Photo by Spc. Tiffany Evans, USA  

(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

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."



TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 20; afghanistan; become; citizens; soldiers; us

1 posted on 02/03/2006 3:20:04 PM PST by SandRat
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To: 2LT Radix jr; 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub; 80 Square Miles; A Ruckus of Dogs; acad1228; AirForceMom; ..

Welcome 20 new Citizens who choose to be Patriots first.


2 posted on 02/03/2006 3:20:51 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat

Anyone brave enough to stand and fight for this Country, I will be glad to call "Citizen".

God Bless and Keep them


3 posted on 02/03/2006 3:24:43 PM PST by Leofl (I'm from Texas, we don't dial 9-11)
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To: SandRat
Wow. May they have long and fruitful lives in America.
4 posted on 02/03/2006 3:25:55 PM PST by Diva Betsy Ross (Embrace peace- Hug an American soldier- the real peace keepers.)
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To: SandRat

Absolutely fantastic!!!


5 posted on 02/03/2006 3:26:12 PM PST by hershey
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To: SandRat

Congratulations to these Americans from one grateful American.


6 posted on 02/03/2006 3:28:17 PM PST by BlueAngel
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To: SandRat

7 posted on 02/03/2006 3:30:14 PM PST by Lady Jag ( All I want is a kind word, a warm bed, and world domination)
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To: Leofl
Anyone brave enough to stand and fight for this Country, I will be glad to call "Citizen".

Amen ... it out to be a regular offering. God bless them for serving.

8 posted on 02/03/2006 3:32:19 PM PST by AgThorn (Bush is my president, but he needs to protect our borders. FIRST, before any talk of "Amnesty.")
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To: SandRat

Great post!


9 posted on 02/03/2006 3:33:45 PM PST by aculeus
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To: SandRat

This is great!


10 posted on 02/03/2006 3:43:10 PM PST by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!)
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To: SandRat

Awesome post!


11 posted on 02/03/2006 3:53:12 PM PST by mosquewatch.com ("The enemy is anyone who will get you killed, no matter what side they are on.")
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To: mosquewatch.com

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!


12 posted on 02/03/2006 4:46:30 PM PST by TimeLord (A whale fetus is a whale; a human fetus is a blob.)
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To: TimeLord

And you left out the Zionist plot as well. By the nose hairs of the prophet doom unto you!! ;)


13 posted on 02/03/2006 4:54:00 PM PST by mosquewatch.com ("The enemy is anyone who will get you killed, no matter what side they are on.")
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To: SandRat

Thank you for this reminder of how great our country is, and welcome to these brave, patriotic new citizens!


14 posted on 02/03/2006 4:56:17 PM PST by teawithmisswilliams (Question Diversity)
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To: Lady Jag

AMEN!!!


15 posted on 02/03/2006 5:01:17 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat

BTTT


16 posted on 02/04/2006 3:15:34 AM PST by E.G.C.
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