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| Veterans Happy to Earn Citizenship |
Almost two dozen veterans from 15 countries and every branch of the military gathered Monday Nov. 10, on the eve of Veteran’s Day, to volunteer for another, possibly more pleasant, duty.
Each of these veterans answered the call to serve in the military when they were not actually citizens of the United States. On Monday in Chicago, they were able to raise their hands and take the oath of citizenship under U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly, taking advantage of a special provision that can hurry the citizenship process for those who have given service in the military.
Judge Kennelley commended the veterans, saying that they had each earned his or her citizenship through their service to their adopted country in the military. One man had waited for 25 years for the event. He said that Monday’s ceremony meant “everything” to him, and was like starting a new life.
As they become citizens, the veterans get new and expanded privileges such as carrying a U.S. passport and voting in elections. Additionally, there are expedited avenues for bringing relatives over from other countries, a process that can otherwise take from 10 to 15 years to finally complete.
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Justin Stewart |
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