Soldier fighting in Iraq also fights for his U.S. citizenship

[RamboLiberal]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WA_SOLDIERS_CITIZENSHIP_WAOL-?SITE=RIWAR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Pvt. Stepan Provorov withstands attacks by insurgents in Iraq who shoot at him and send mortars dangerously close to his Stryker vehicle, but it is his fight for U.S. citizenship that weighs heavily on his mind.

The Fort Lewis soldier joined the Army last year and applied for his citizenship so he could bring his wife and children from Russia.

The process has been slow, despite letters and visits to immigration offices by his commanders in Baghdad.

"We're getting to the point where we have exhausted every resource and it's frustrating," said Lt. Craig Coppock of DuPont, Provorov's platoon leader in Baghdad. "All there needs to be is for someone to say OK. No one can tell us why that can't happen."

In May, Provorov, 30, had an immigration interview and passed tests on English, U.S. history and government.

The FBI also has finished its checks, but a separate background check by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services remains incomplete.

[Katzenjammer]

1. No doubt it'll come through the day after he's killed. (nt)

[xchrom]

2. there are few things i disapprove of more than this.

foreign nationals fighting in our army to gain citizenship.

shades of teutonic tribesmen and rome.

[Lars39]

3. This has been known for quite a long time.

It went under the radar a bit.