German Woman To Become Citizen For Iraq Deployment (MN)

WCCO.com ^ | 2/7/09 | AP

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

A German woman from Minnesota has become a U.S. citizen so she can deploy to Iraq this week.

Heike Lewandowski became an American at a ceremony Saturday at the Mall of America. She'll be serving for a year with the 34th Infantry's Red Bull Division.

The 37-year-old lives in Long Prairie. She met her Minnesota native husband, Jeff, when he was stationed in Germany with the military. She moved to the U.S. in 1998 and has served in the National Guard for eight years.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

We salute you, Heike.

[CowboyJay]

Danke Heike. Wilkommen.

[Squantos]

Good for her !

[allmost]

Bless her heart, and her safety.

[Gene Eric]

Godspeed Heike.

[PistolPaknMama]

Heike Lewandowski became an American at a ceremony Saturday ...has served in the National Guard for eight years.

She became an American citizen today (?) and has served in our National Guard for 8 years without being an American citizen? Heike may have good intentions but is anyone else disturbed that foreign nationals can serve in the National Guard? And how many are serving that may not have good intentions?

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Dear FRiends,

In light of what is transpiring in our nation's capitol this weekend, more than ever, we need to ensure that places like Free Republic and other like-minded places continue to speak the plain truth. Newspapers are dying and the current administation will either bail them out or allow them to fail. If they are bailed out, they will be even more beholding to the coming socialist agenda. If they are allowed to fail, the powers that be will force the remaining electronic media to fill the void. Local coverage only. No national syndicated news/talk. The "Fairness Doctrine", like it or not.

After that, the internet. Free Republic. And others.

We need to get this FReepathon over and right now. We need to show that we are serious and will continue forward and thrive, not just survive.

If you can spare a couple of bucks, that would be great...If not, God bless you and please stop by the FReepathon thread and give it a bump.

We're all in this together.

[WesternCulture]

Ich bin ein Schwede, aber Ich sage: Go!

(I’m a Swede, but I say: Go!)

Grüsse aus Göteborg, Schweden (Volvo-town, IKEA-land)

[Maine Mariner]

I am not disturbed. Someone please correct me if I am wrong but non-citizens have served in the armed forces. In fact it has been a fast track to US citizenship.

Sometime in the late 1870’s my great grandfather, a Norwegian citizen joined the US Navy in Naples Italy.

[Drew68]

Heike may have good intentions but is anyone else disturbed that foreign nationals can serve in the National Guard? And how many are serving that may not have good intentions?

Foreign nationals serve in all branches of the U.S. military. We had a Haitian in my last command who took liberty and invited many of us in our squadron to attend his naturalization ceremony.

I believe foreigners are eligible to become naturalized citizens after three or four years of good conduct in the armed forces vice seven years legal residency for non-servicemembers.

[Seven plus One]

Spur of the moment, don’t have the numbers, but there is a good contingent of Mexicans who have served in Iraq, in the Army and in the Marine Corps with courage and honor. Their intentions speak for themselves.

[spectre]

Foreign nationals can - and do - enlist in all branches of the U.S. armed forces.

However, they can not be commissioned officers unless they first become citizens.

[MuttTheHoople]

In my Army Basic Training unit, we had a German, a Russian, and several Mexicans and Central Americans.