Posthumous citizenship granted for 2 fallen Marines

AP ^ | 4/2/03

[InHisImage]

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (AP) - The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services has approved posthumous citizenship for two fallen Marines from Southern California, Cpl. Jose Angel Garibay and Lance Cpl. Jose Gutierrez, both killed in combat in Iraq. The new bureau's acting director, Eduardo Aguire, is expected to sign their certificates of naturalization on Wednesday in Laguna Niguel, bureau spokesman Ron Rogers said Tuesday.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

May God bless these two fine men.

[PoisedWoman]

May God bless these two very good guys.

Yes, a lot of Hispanic names showing up on casualty lists. Impresive that so many have signed up to serve their new country. I wish them all the very best.

[Poohbah]

So even the military doesn't require enlistees to be American citizens?

Nope.

Go look up "Rick Rescorla" and "Landing Zone X-Ray."

[GraniteStateConservative]

Come lecture us, good fellow...

[No Truce With Kings]

"So even the military doesn't require enlistees to be American citizens?"

Nope. But military service is a good way to get citizenship. My paternal grandfather immigrated to the US from Greece in 1912. As a young man, he volunteered for service in the US Army in WWI, and served as a scout in the 38th Infantry Divison. (The Buckeye Division.) His service earned him a Purple Heart and American citizenship.

Fine by me. Anyone willing to fight for the United States, who serves a hitch and gets an honorable discharge has *earned* the right to a say in how this country is run.

[scouse]

Personally I think it is great that these two warriors are getting their citizenship, however to balance it a little we should take it away from Peter Arnett.

[Poohbah]

Personally I think it is great that these two warriors are getting their citizenship, however to balance it a little we should take it away from Peter Arnett.

Now cleaning Mountain Dew off of the monitor...

[flying Elvis]

The Roman Imperial Army was one of the most efficient Romanizing influences on German barbarians. It was when entire legions became German that the problems significantly increased. Allowing limited numbers of immigrants into our military is a good idea.

[newgeezer]

Seeing this reminds me of when Andre Dawson became a Chicago Cub.

Whenever Dawson approached the plate at Wrigley Field in his Cubs uniform, the bleacher bums would do the up-and-down prostration thing, as if revering a god.

As little as one season earlier, as a Montreal Expo, the same bleacher bums had taunted, booed, and yelled the "N-word" as they poured beer on him in the outfield.

Nothing personal, mind you. Just an observation.

[InHisImage]

I checked the list of our guys killed, so far. It's on Fox, here. Anyway, of the approximately 44 dead, 9 had Hispanic sounding last names. That comes to about 20.4% Hispanic.

That's not indicative of total enlistment, just of those killed in action.

[DoughtyOne]

Reclassifying them as citizens is not only appropriate, it's a must IMO.

BTW, I have noted that a vast majority of those serving don't have spanish surnames. God bless them all.

[george wythe]

Cpl. Jose Angel Garibay,
21, of Costa Mesa, died March 23 in Nasiriyah

Lance Cpl. Jose Gutierrez,
22, of Lomita, died March 21 at Umm Qasr

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young
But the passing of a Soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Good-bye American Soldiers

[MineralMan]

Latinos make up 14 percent of the Marine Corps, 10.5 percent of the Navy, 9.7 percent of the Army and 5.6 percent of the Air Force.

This is official as of 2000. No doubt it has changed, probably increased, since then. Way to go, Jose!

[Polybius]

So even the military doesn't require enlistees to be American citizens?

It never has.

My Cuban-born uncle went to his oral exam for U.S. citizenship in Miami back around 1967 dressed in his U.S. Army uniform that included his Green Beret, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Vietnam Service Ribbon with two clusters, the Bronze Star with Combat "V" ribbon with two clusters and the Purple Heart ribbon with two clusters. The right sleeve of his uniform was empty as his right arm was still strapped to his chest as a result of the rounds he had taken to his right shoulder a few weeks before in Vietnam.

When we asked him what questions he had been asked in his oral exam, he said,

"The examiner did not ask me a single question. He just looked at me, up and down a couple of times, and said, 'You passed.'".

For earlier historical examples, look up "Irish Brigade" and "Eleventh Corps, Army of the Potomac".

[k2blader]

Good news bump!

[justshutupandtakeit]

Welcome to America, brothers. I am proud to call you both fellow citizen.

[skeeter]

A precious gift & much deserved. Thanks guys.

[Paradox]

I am not worthy to shine their boots. Thank you AMERICAN heroes for your sacrifice.

[Joe Boucher]

Welcome fellow citizens. When you sit around family get togethers remember always that your patriarch died so that you could live free. These men are both heros.GOD bless themand never forget.

[taxed2death]

We need to pull some of the illegals out of our prison system and hand 'em a gun.