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58 U.S. Servicemembers Take Oath of Citizenship
Stars and Stripes ^ | Thursday, December 1, 2005 | By Nancy Montgomery, Stars and Stripes

Posted on 11/30/2005 9:30:59 PM PST by Anita1

HEIDELBERG, Germany — They came from Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico and the Philippines. They came from Ghana, Micronesia, Albania and … Canada, Great Britain and Egypt?

Nearly 60 U.S. soldiers, stationed throughout U.S. Army Europe but originally from all parts of the globe, gathered Tuesday at Campbell Barracks to take the oath renouncing allegiance to “any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty” and become U.S. citizens.

“I think it’s the best country in the world."

(Excerpt) Read more at estripes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: albania; americans; army; balkans; canada; citizens; citizenship; cuba; egypt; europe; germany; ghana; greatbritain; guatemala; latinamerica; mexico; micronesia; naturalization; philippines; servicemen; soldiers; us
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“I’m honored to be a U.S. citizen,” Banda said as Ethan (his son), replete with tiny black beret, gurgled in his arms...

The group ceremony was due, in part, to a change last year in immigration law. The change did away with a five-year waiting period for active-duty military members. The new rules say that during a time of war, foreign-born soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines may apply for citizenship on their first day of active duty, said Jeffrey Sapko, officer in charge of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Frankfurt.

If all goes well, it takes about six months from application to oath-swearing, Sapko said...

Since the law changed, the number of applicants has been increasing rapidly. Last fiscal year at his office, Sapko said, 252 servicemembers became U.S. citizens. With the new fiscal year only a few weeks old, “We’re already halfway to what we did last year,” he said...

But there was also a former Canadian citizen — who said she became a U.S. citizen in part to become eligible to be an officer in the U.S. Army — and a soldier who hailed from Great Britain.

“I said, ‘What is it that’s bringing you in?” Sapko said he asked the former Brit. “He said, ‘I want to be a citizen of the greatest country on earth.’ ”

1 posted on 11/30/2005 9:31:03 PM PST by Anita1
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To: Anita1

Congrats, Americans....you've earned your keep!


2 posted on 11/30/2005 9:32:32 PM PST by RasterMaster ("Bin Laden shows others the road to Paradise, but never offers to go along for the ride." GWB)
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To: Anita1

Here's an opportunity to solve both our immigration problem and our military recruiting problem in one shot. It worked very well for the Romans at one time.


3 posted on 11/30/2005 9:33:54 PM PST by Ostlandr (Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer do NOT represent me!)
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To: Anita1
May God Bless and protect them one and all.

Darn shame more people born here don't serve ........

4 posted on 11/30/2005 9:34:13 PM PST by HoustonCurmudgeon (I will not support evil just because "It's the Law.")
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To: Anita1
Could we get some Congressional Democrats to take the same Oath?
5 posted on 11/30/2005 9:35:38 PM PST by msnimje (Bob Woodward is the GRINCH who stole Fitzmas............Cindy Lou (sheehan) WHO?)
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To: HoustonCurmudgeon

More than willing....age is a factor these days, though. :-(


6 posted on 11/30/2005 9:37:31 PM PST by RasterMaster ("Bin Laden shows others the road to Paradise, but never offers to go along for the ride." GWB)
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To: Anita1

God Bless Them All.


7 posted on 11/30/2005 9:42:06 PM PST by GVnana
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To: Anita1

8 posted on 11/30/2005 9:52:10 PM PST by GVnana
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To: SandRat

ping


9 posted on 11/30/2005 9:53:02 PM PST by Calpernia (Breederville.com)
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To: Anita1

God Bless them, and I thank them for their service.

“I think it’s the best country in the world."

Well welcome to it, and so do we soldier. So do we.


10 posted on 11/30/2005 10:33:52 PM PST by TeddyCon
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To: Anita1

We should recruit in Mexico. We'll say, you want to become Americans? Join in the U.S. Army. Solves our illegal immigration crisis.


11 posted on 11/30/2005 10:36:29 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

Yeah, plus they would have to learn how to speak english.


12 posted on 11/30/2005 10:43:22 PM PST by freeplancer
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To: Anita1

Nice post...


13 posted on 11/30/2005 10:44:54 PM PST by chasio649
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To: RasterMaster
More than willing....age is a factor these days, though. :-(

Ditto
14 posted on 11/30/2005 11:26:07 PM PST by Talking_Mouse (Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just... Thomas Jefferson)
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To: Anita1

God Bless them all.


15 posted on 11/30/2005 11:29:17 PM PST by cgk (Cheney: Senators Reid, Kerry & Rockefeller were unable to attend due to a prior lack of commitment.)
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To: Anita1

bump


16 posted on 12/01/2005 5:33:01 AM PST by F14 Pilot (Democracy is a process not a product)
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To: Anita1

Excellent! Congratulations to all our new citizens!

Now, if we could get more of our young men to follow suit, even if they're already citizens. Military service is a great way for young men (and women) to gain maturity, serve their nation, and achieve something worth remembering all their lives.

Beats the heck out of frat parties.


17 posted on 12/01/2005 6:02:02 AM PST by MineralMan (godless atheist)
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To: Anita1

God bless each and every one of these new American citizens!


18 posted on 12/01/2005 6:07:49 AM PST by conservativecorner
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To: freeplancer

Agreed.


19 posted on 12/01/2005 7:48:09 AM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: chasio649; msnimje

Thanks - it was refreshing to see a positive article - but then - it was not on a MSM site! They're ALL negative!

I agree with msnimje who posted on 5

Could we get some Congressional Democrats to take the same Oath?

It would sure take care of the tritors! They's jump ship to go to Canada!

Re:
11/30/2005 9:35:38 PM PST by msnimje (Bob Woodward is the GRINCH who stole Fitzmas............Cindy Lou (sheehan) WHO?)


20 posted on 12/02/2005 10:52:34 AM PST by Anita1 (You can't argue against the truth!)
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