Service members take the oath of citizenship at the Ambassador's residence in Tokyo on Oct. 18, 2004.
May 18 - I had a very good day on April 23. I met our newest Americans when I participated in a naturalization ceremony at Yokosuka for foreigners serving in the U.S. military and their families. That day, 36 active duty sailors and marines and 32 family members of the U.S. Armed Forces in Japan took their oath of citizenship.
Until recently, under American law foreigners wanting to become American citizens could only do so in the United States. However, in 2004 Congress passed an exception to this law to allow active duty members of the United States military and their family members serving abroad to become citizens where they served.
The new citizens have to study hard in order to pass a citizenship test covering U.S. history, the Constitution, and the rights and responsibilities of citizens. The group in Yokosuka this time represented 23 countries - from nations as large as China to ones as small as Fiji, as near as Korea and as far as Cuba. They seemed both excited and proud. Many of them had friends and family members in the audience who were waving American flags and taking photos.
This is the 2010 ceremony in Yokosuka.
We began the ceremony with an honor guard who marched in with the flags of the United States and our host country Japan. A singer sang "Kimigayo" and the "Star Spangled Banner," our two national anthems. The chaplain gave an invocation, and then I made a few remarks conveying to the new citizens my mother's experience as a naturalized American citizen. Following me, Senior Chief Petty Officer Johannes Gonzales described how proud he was to be a naturalized American citizen, even as he continues to celebrate his Panamanian heritage.
Finally Mr. Ken Sherman from the Department of Homeland Security administered the oath of citizenship to these service men and women. It was an emotional moment, and many in the audience ran forward to take a photo. Two of the children who had become citizens then led us all in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, and we watched a short video of President Obama congratulating our nation's newest American citizens. Ken Sherman and I then presented each new citizen with a Certificate of Naturalization, the document that proves American citizenship. The ceremony that day began with 68 persons from 23 countries, but it ended with 68 citizens of one country.
Until next time,
Jim
Comments Welcome!