Other Ways to Celebrate the Fourth
In Baghdad, 325 U.S. soldiers became Americans.
Near the front of the hall, Pfc. Mark Ayson, with a black brace on one wrist and an M-4 rifle slung across his back, had tears in his eyes. Â
Ayson, 26, of Pensacola, Fla., was born in the Philippines and immigrated to the U.S. with his family when he was 8. Less than a week before the ceremony, he was riding in a Humvee that was hit by a copper-plated explosive in the north Baghdad neighborhood of Adhamiya. A fellow soldier lost a his leg in the attack, but Ayson escaped with damaged eardrums, shrapnel in his right leg and a bruised left wrist. He was back to work within 72 hours.
Ayson said the experience underlines why he joined the Army, came to Iraq nearly a year ago and became a citizen on Wednesday.
“We’re fighting for a cause,” he said.
…
Sgt. Luis Ochoa, 35, of Fayetteville, N.C., said he wanted to avoid becoming one of those noncitizen casualties. He fought in Afghanistan and is in his second tour in Iraq.
“I wanted to die an American. I wanted to die happy,” said Ochoa, who immigrated came to the U.S. from Tijuana in 1984.
Ochoa had wanted his wife and four children to be with him Wednesday, to show off his new citizenship certificate stamped “July 4, 2007.” Instead, Ochoa stowed the certificate in his footlocker at Forward Operating Base Justice, northeast of Baghdad, where he returned soon after the ceremony — not to hot dogs or friendly fireworks but to his duty as an American citizen.
“I got a patrol,” Ochoa said with a smile. “I got work to do.”
There’s some politics involved:
More recently, permanent residents, particularly the so-called Mexican “green card soldiers,” have drawn attention for their heroism and sacrifices in Iraq. Lance Cpl. Jose A. Gutierrez of Lomita and Cpl. Jose A. Garibay of Costa Mesa were granted posthumous citizenship after they died in the first three days of the war.
Immigrants’ military service has become part of the Washington immigration debate in recent months. Legislation that stalled in the Senate last week would have created a path to citizenship for undocumented youths who serve in the military for at least two years.
Although undocumented immigrants are ineligible for military service by law, some so-called “no-card soldiers” manage to join using false documents, said Margaret Stock, an Army reservist and part-time associate professor at West Point. Stock said many service members who hold green cards or are U.S. citizens have immediate family who are undocumented and would benefit from a provision granting them legal status, similar to laws that apply to Cuban nationals who enter the U.S. illegally.
Two years is a little fast. Last time I checked, military service allowed a legal immigrant to cut the time to citizenship from five years to three years. How about this. Enlist, train and serve honorably on what we can call a military work permit. After two years or upon being deployed to a combat zone, you get a green card and all privileges. Then, your countdown to citizenship begins.
But let’s get away from politics. That’s not what the holiday is about. Here’s Sgt. Jesse Jones with something on that:
At a U.S. base outside Baqouba, Sgt. Jesse Jones, 24, of Olympia, Wash., spent Independence Day taking a shower and getting a haircut. His platoon was on break before heading back to fighting in Baqouba.
    ”Today I’m just basically relaxing and refitting, getting ready to go back into the city,” he said. “As much as I want to be home, I don’t regret being here. This is a good place to celebrate the Fourth of July. Not only are we celebrating independence, we’re fighting for independence, too.”
Topics: America, Iraq, military
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 8:36 am on Thursday, July 5, 2007
12 Responses to “Other Ways to Celebrate the Fourth”
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July 5th, 2007 at 9:33 am
What are you crazy? The Democrats would turn Arbor Day against the president if trees could vote. You wait, that’s coming. Whales, illegals, then trees.
Bloodthirsty Liberal
July 5th, 2007 at 10:39 am
Web Reconnaissance for 07/05/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.
July 5th, 2007 at 11:14 am
“In Baghdad, 325 U.S. soldiers became Americans.”
Foreigners who enlist in the military and perform honorable service should automatically be granted citizenship.
Scum like this…
http://answer.pephost.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ANS_homepage
…should have their citizenship revoked, and be kicked to the curb, ASAP.
Time to change our country’s citizenship laws.
July 5th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Normally I don’t condone giving citizenship to illegals. In this case, they’ve earned it, and it probably means they’ll never take it for granted the way so many of us who are born into it do.
July 5th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
I add this link in a spirit of affectionate mischief……..
.http://thethunderdragon.blogspot.com/2007/07/as-its-fourth-of-july.html
July 5th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
“Real chips are thick cut and fried in animal fat. The traditional accompaniment to chips is beer which should be served warm and flat.”
That’s what passes for a gourmet meal in England.
July 5th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
“You will no longer be allowed to own or carry guns. You will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous in public than a vegetable peeler. Because we don’t believe you are sensible enough to handle potentially dangerous items, you will require a permit if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.”
In the UK owning weapons is, for all practical purposes, illegal, and it is a criminal offense to carry weapons for the purpose of self-defense (please note that the words are spelled “offense” and “defense”, respectively). Obviously, your government feels you aren’t sensible enough to be trusted with weaponry.
Can’t say as how I blame them.
July 5th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
‘While we’re talking about regions, you must learn that there is no such place as Devonshire in England. The name of the county is “Devon.”‘
Leave it to the Brits to have a Duke of Devonshire and a Devonshire Regiment…but no Devonshire.
There’s something wrong with these people.
July 6th, 2007 at 1:29 am
I imagine that we should plainly mark all of the rifle ranges so they don’t stumble into them by mistake. It would be horrible if they congregated down by the butts during a live range.
July 6th, 2007 at 8:35 am
Dave Surls
Sir, you have insulted the national dish (with mushy peas) of the County of the Broad Acres and I demand satisfaction or a pint of Black Sheep Bitter.
Alternatively, should you ever visit this sceptic isle, for a real gourmet fish & chip experience, try Murgatroyds in Leeds, Bryans in Leeds, Graveleys in Harrogate or, best of all, Anstruther Fish Bar, 10 miles south of St Andrews.
You shouldn’t need your gun at any of these venues.
July 9th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
“Alternatively, should you ever visit this sceptic isle…”
I’ll buy you a nice warm, flat beer, and we’ll toast Her majesty. But, I’m not eating any spotted dick…and, that’s final.
July 9th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
“You shouldn’t need your gun at any of these venues.”
I like to bring my .44 along, just in case a waiter gets uppity.