USAG Bavaria Welcomes Newest American Citizens

Post Views: 184

TOWER BARRACKS, Germany — As part of a special program to naturalize active-duty service members and their Families, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria hosted a naturalization ceremony Sept. 26 at the Tower View Conference Center.

The 16 new citizens hailed from 12 different countries were welcomed as new citizens of the United States.

Following the national anthem, the Oath of Allegiance was virtually conducted by a representative with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The citizens naturalized at the ceremony originally come from Brazil, Chad, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Vietnam, Nepal, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.

The ceremony concluded with garrison commander Col. Kevin A. Poole and Command Sgt. Maj. Hermes F. Acevedo distributing certificates of naturalization to America’s newest citizens.

“Becoming an American means embracing the values that define this great nation; It’s also about honoring the past while shaping the future,” said Poole. “Today, you become a part of something great – America. And today, America becomes greater and more complete because of you. Congratulations.”

Sgt. Jonatas Barbosa Nascimento from Brazil has been in the U.S and the Armed Forces of the U.S. for almost ten years. When asked how he was feeling after the ceremony he said, “I’m feeling great, I finally got to become a citizen!”

“It was a very long process, but it’s worth it!” he said. “I would recommend to start as soon as possible because the last thing you want is your green card to expire. Rushing is nothing that anybody wants.”

Maria Weschenfelder from Mexico also shared her excitement for becoming a U.S. citizen.

“It’s the American dream,” Weschenfelder said. “I came to the U.S. as a little kid. … To be the first one of my family to become a U.S. citizen is a dream come true!”

Here’s a list of all the newly naturalized U.S. citizens: