South African jumps at offer of quick citizenship for troops
By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer
President Bush announced on the Fourth of July that he was offering immediate citizenship eligibility to 15,000 immigrants in the U.S. military as thanks for service to the country in a time of war.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser
Airman 1st Class Sarah-Jane Allen, a contracting specialist at Hickam Air Force Base, didn't waste any time in taking up the president on his offer.
Airman 1st Class Sarah-Jane Allen of Hickam AFB says Bush's offer has "opened amazing doors for me."
Allen went Monday to Hickam's personnel office, which handles citizenship issues.
"They said, 'What are you talking about? You've got to have three years (of service before you are eligible),' " the South African citizen said. "I said, no, here's the article and (information) from the Internet, and then it was, 'Oh, you're right.' "
The Department of Defense is still working out the implementation of the program and figuring out who it will affect and where.
But for noncitizens like Allen, who won a hard-to-get work permit to come to the United States in 1999, it means the stars have aligned. "I competed against 7 million other people and won this green card, which, in my country, is like gold," she said yesterday. "Now that this has happened, it's opened amazing doors for me."
The 30-year-old, who has been in the Air Force for more than two years, wanted to cross-train into public affairs, but because she isn't a U.S. citizen, that wasn't an option.
She wanted to attend Officer Training School but couldn't. Again, her lack of citizenship stood in the way.
"Now that I know I can go ahead and do the things I want to do and stay in the Air Force, I'll definitely stay in," said Allen, who married a Navy sailor stationed here. The couple is expecting a baby in September.
During a Fourth of July celebration in Ripley, W.Va., Bush announced he had signed an executive order granting expedited citizenship eligibility to noncitizen U.S. service members on active duty during the war on terrorism.
"Unlike any other country, America came into the world with a message for mankind — that all are created equal, and all are meant to be free," Bush told the crowd.
The Immigration and Nationality Act allows noncitizens in the military to become citizens after three years of service, instead of the usual five-year wait for nonmilitary immigrants. Section 329 of the act, which the president invoked, allows immediate application for the 15,000 armed forces members who have served fewer than three years.
Presidents Carter and Clinton signed similar executive orders following the Vietnam and Gulf wars. More than 31,000 noncitizens are serving on active duty, with a little more than half already eligible for citizenship.
Just how many service members Bush's offer applies to in Hawai'i is a question mark.
"We don't track the citizenship status of the people here," said Pacific Command spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Jensin Sommer.
The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense in Washington, D.C., yesterday was trying to put together a state-by-state total.
"This is not a normal statistic that anybody tracks. It has just come up as a new thing," said spokeswoman Maj. Sandy Troeber.
The 25th Infantry Division (Light) said it was awaiting guidance from the office of the secretary of defense.
Hickam Air Force Base officials yesterday said there are 13 registered noncitizen airmen and women out of 4,864 personnel at Hickam.
Hickam public affairs officer Maj. Stephen Clutter said Allen "is a good example of someone who's not only going to better herself (with citizenship), but is also going to help the Air Force."
"Just knowing her, and all the work she does in the community, she's very suited to a public affairs career field," Clutter said. Allen was an active participant in a local school partnership and helped with a fund-raiser for school supplies, he said.
For Allen, Bush's executive order makes it possible to reach earlier her longtime goal of becoming a U.S. citizen.
Don Radcliffe, district director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service in Hawai'i, said applicants will have to go through the usual fingerprint and FBI background checks, and pass an English test for comprehension, reading and writing, and a U.S. history test.
"I'm very, very grateful to President Bush," Allen said. "I think he's an amazing man — and as soon as I can vote, I'll be voting for him."
Reach William Cole at 525-5459.
