29 servicemembers earn American citizenship

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U.S. troops from 20 different countries take the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony Friday at Yongsan Garrison, South Korea.


29 servicemembers earn American citizenship
By T.D. Flack, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Sunday, April 27, 2008

YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea — A 45-minute ceremony here Friday marked the end of one journey — and the first step of another — for Spc. Hossam Khattab.

Khattab and 28 other U.S. troops raised their right hands and took the Oath of Allegiance, officially becoming U.S. citizens at the State Department naturalization ceremony.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for three years,” he said. “My family is proud of me. My wife is proud of me.”

Khattab, 28, earned an accounting degree in Egypt before moving to the States in 2005. He said he joined the U.S. Army in 2007 to show that he was willing to serve his adopted country.

Already working on his master’s in business administration, Khattab said citizenship would enable him to start moving on his next goal: becoming an Army officer and serving a full career.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=54348