Emotions high as 68 sailors, Marines become Americans

[unhappycamper]

Emotions high as 68 sailors, Marines become Americans
By Chris Fowler, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Tuesday, October 9, 2007


YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — They came from 22 countries to bear arms in behalf of the United States.

They all vowed to support and defended the Constitution, and without reservation they became U.S. citizens.

Sixty-eight sailors and Marines took the Oath of Allegiance, some with tears welling up in their eyes, during a ceremony Friday at Yokosuka’s Chapel of Hope.

Stacy Strong, from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services of the Department of Homeland Security, officiated during the ceremony.

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For Petty Officer 2nd Class Deon Callendar, from Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 14, the journey to citizenship began on the island nation of Trinidad.

“After eight years in the Navy I am finally able to become a citizen,” Callendar said.


Rest of article at: http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=49358