They became citizens today.

I had a rare opportunity today to witness a naturalization ceremony. 62 men and women from 25 different countries all either Soldiers, Airmen, Marines or Sailors earned their citizenship. It was a mandatory function which I initially balked at, but in retrospect am very glad I attended. A little background for those that may not know:

• A person does not have to be a citizen of the United States to serve in the Armed Forces as an enlisted person. I believe you must be a citizen to be a commissioned officer, but there may be waivers for that.
• Since 9/11 40,000 service members have earned their citizenship.
• 109 of those 40,000 were awarded citizenship posthumously for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the face of an armed enemy of the United States.
• .6% that's right barely 1/2 of one percent of the American population has served in uniform. .6%

Fairly astounding statistics I thought. I must tell you that this was in all respects a very moving ceremony. I read through the list of 62 names. They were from places that barely understand the concept of freedom. This was not a group of people that eked past a border and are now claiming that they deserve citizenship because they have been here for so long. These people came to America, some of them from very bad places. They enlisted in the Armed Forces and were now deployed in the great struggle that our nation is now involved in.

Amazing! It truly was. I sat and watched and thought about all the things some of these people weren't born into. They weren't born into the most powerful nation on earth. They weren't born into a place that not only provided, but mandated education through high school. Some of them came from nothing, literally. Yet here they are, able to rise above it and have a career, a life, provide for themselves and their families. They are not even citizens! I was amazed and angered. Its election time, and we hear a lot about all the opportunities some people don't have. Really I thought. Really?

The naturalization officer that administered the oath gave a nice little speech. He too was a naturalized citizen, as was his whole family he explained. It was moving to hear him talk of "our country". There was unmistakable passion in his voice. An almost relentless, fierce force to it. He asked, no he told the 62 new citizens to vote. In effect he told them that if they don't vote there was no reason for them to have become citizens. He then administered the oath. I have reprinted the oath below from the US Citizenship website. I have highlighted the parts that are verbatim the same as either the Oath of Office used to swear in Military Officers or the oath of enlistment. It was chilling to hear, it really was.

"I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God."

Think you got what it take to be a citizen? Go here and take a look at the study guide for the naturalization test. Prepare to be embarrassed.