From Iraq - New U.S. Citizens (Soldiers) Sworn in.

I witnessed something very inspiring today, that I thought I'd share with you a little bit.

This inspiring event wasn't in battle, although it did take place within the greater battlefield that is Iraq. And it didn't take place in heroic combat, although the participants are all heroes. No, this event took place in the palace in which we work, a palace built by and for a tyrant that no longer threatens his own people, or the rest of the world, because of the very participants that were here today.

On this day, underneath the 3-story rotunda in this palace, 143 soldiers came together. These soldiers, marines, airmen and sailors were from many different units in this American expeditionary force. Looking down, I saw many different unit patches in the group. Some were with front-line combat units of the active force. Others were reservists with the National Guard or federal reserves. They were all different, but all had come together today for a singular purpose.

These heroes, mostly kids really, were here today to take the oath of citizenship in the United States of America.

I watched the ceremony from 2 stories up, looking down on this group. As they stood up as one, and in one voice repeated the oath of citizenship, I found myself in awe of these warriors. At a time when the vast majority of our citizens choose not to serve their country in any manner, and certainly not as a soldier in the defense of freedom, these men and women chose to answer the call to arms and go into harms way even before they were citizens! These kids knew better than most the price we pay to make our freedom and liberty as Americans an enduring reality, and they chose to become what we were born as: Americans.

I had never seen a naturalization ceremony before, although I suspect I'll see one in a few years when Mia becomes a citizen. I assume "civilian" naturalization ceremonies are not nearly so regimented. After all, this was a military ceremony. But I don't mind telling you that my heart was in my throat, and my eyes were more than a little misty, when after the oath was complete, they called the youngest of our newest citizens forward, to lead us all in the Pledge of Allegiance. (And yes, we are still "one nation, UNDER GOD").

After a heartwarming video message from President Bush, each individual new citizen came forward, lining up by row in typical military precision, to receive a certificate of citizenship from the Commanding General of this Corps and a civilian immigration official. I could see that each received a few words from the Commander while having their picture taken, and I like to believe based on his comments before the ceremony, that he was telling them how proud he was of them. Heady stuff for privates and young sergeants to hear from a 3-star general.

Their names, called individually so each could singularly come forward to receive their certificate, reflected the different origins from which they came. Many Latin-American countries were represented with sons and daughters, but so too were some European nations, and a few African, Asian and Middle Eastern, too. From nearly every region of the world, these young people had come to grasp the possibilities that are available for all American. And, in their individual lives, they had all decided that being American was worth fighting and risking death for, even before they attained that title themselves.

As they received their official documents and their own folded American Flag, and returned to their seats, the 3rd Infantry Division band played songs, like "This land is your land, this land is my land", with the notes echoing off the marble columns and walls of this monument to one man's despotism.

Far too often, we who were born wrapped in the blanket of freedom and liberty that shields us from the cold of tyranny and oppression, take for granted all that we received by birthright. Even for those like myself who have gone into harms way in defense of our nation and our way of life, we sometimes forget what it really means, and how lucky we are as Americans. Today, because of these newest citizens, and how they came to be citizens while deployed in a combat zone, I was reminded of a saying I've read and heard often: "For those who have fought for it, Freedom has a taste the protected will never know." I am confident these newest citizens have an acute appreciation for what they now have as citizens. I pray that our fellow citizens do not forget the blessed gift they were given by being born American, or themselves naturalizing before. We must never forget that only through eternal vigilance against threats foreign and domestic, will our freedoms and liberties remain for us and our descendants, and America remain a shining beacon for all peoples yearning to be free.

The United States of America, still the land of promise, protected by patriots of our past, our present and the patriots that have yet to be born, they share one thing, they are Americans, and know that freedom is not free.

"The United States of America, still the land of promise, protected by patriots of our past, our present and the patriots that have yet to be born, they share one thing, they are Americans, and know that freedom is not free."

What a wonderful story! America represents an ideal to so many who will fight to protect that for which she stands. And sadly, so many who will fight to keep others from knowing and enjoying freedom.

Is it just me or does this sound a little like the Roman army recruiting people from other countries by promising them citizenship if they survive the enlistment? Remember -- towards the end of their empire. I hope it works out better for us than with the Romans.

They don't get citizenship just for joining the military. They get it FASTER. You can't become a citizen by jsut joining the army. You can only get it faster.

Although, I don't think I would mind letting people become citizens for joining the army in certain cases.
A couple months ago my local newspaper had a story about a proposed bill that would let people who were brought illegally to the US as children to gain citizenship by joining the military. I'll try to find it online.
Makes sense to me, since they were children when they were snuck in they technically didn’t' break any laws and although I don’t want to punish them for what their parents did I don’t want to just hand them citizenship either. This seems like a solution I could live with, win/win for the US and for the kids.

Other than an "amnesty" by a misguided President, how can an illegal alien ever become a legal alien? I don't believe the "faster" comment. It is either yes or no.

Before one can get citizenship you have to be a permenant resident for 5years, by joining the military it goes down to soemthing like 2years.

I belive the second person to die in Iraq was a former illegal alien.In the late 90s for a couple of years the government allowed American citizens to sponsor their illegal immigrant chidlren or spouces for permentant residency (the first step in path to becomeing a citizen).

Read this. Illegal aliens in the armed servces. I object to that. It appears you don't.

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/michellemalkin/mm20031008.shtml

Interesting article. I just figure if we are going to let legal immigrants who have been here less than 5 years join the army why not let kids who have been here since they were toddlers join the army as a way to earn citizenship.
They technically didn’t break any laws (it's kind of hard to argue they knew what they were doing as toddlers). I am really hesitant about any kind of amnesty but in this case I can support it. We already let people who were former illegal immigrants (who came here as adults) who have been able to take advantage of certain loopholes in the law to become legal immigrants join the army, why not people who never broke the law in the first place.

By the way, thank you for an intelligent discussion about this. Hard to find when it comes to immigration.

We will have to agree to disagree on this.

I believe that once an illegal, always an illegal. I have no problem with someone who came here legally becoming a citizen in 5 (or 2) years. But, I cannot accept that notion that someone who starts out by breaking the law will eventually become a fine upstanding member of society. There have been too many serious crimes committed around here by toddlers who were brought here years ago, and then grew up to be killers, rapists, and muggers. And, amnesty will just make it harder to remove them when caught.

I am also afraid that we will become too much like the Romans who ended up depending on hired outsiders who eventually turned on them and their society. It was the end of their civilization and it was 1,000 years of darkness before one (actually, several serially) came along to replace it.

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