With recruiting woes, some believe the all-volunteer military force may be reaching its breaking point. Overcoming recruiting shortfalls is becoming more difficult every year. Trying to offset shortfalls, the services have released pamphlets and inundated social media, increasing their outreach while focusing on the inner cities. One key element is the use of recruiters with similar backgrounds to potential recruits. Further, the Army and Air Force have steadily increased marketing efforts to reach legal residents to enlist.
Despite many years of different campaigns, recruiting shortfalls continue. Even with recruiters exploring the best way to leverage technology to connect with America’s youth, the U.S. Army and Air Force have both stated they will not meet recruiting goals this year. The Navy says they may be in the same boat too with recruiting goals. The marines are the only service stating they are on track to meet their goal.
Tactics and techniques have been honed over the years, but one sure way to recruit was to offer naturalization for legal immigrants. Citizenship is a universal desire of most immigrants to the U.S., and there are only two ways to become a citizen – by birth or through naturalization.
History of Immigrants Joining the Service
The concept of quick naturalization for legal immigrants serving in the military is not new. With the promise of a job and financial support for their families, along with the belief that military service speeds up the naturalization process, immigrants to American found military service enticing. Researchers such as Damian Shiels, the Managing Editor for the Irish in the American Civil War have documented these events. One such example is the arrival of 32 men on the Great Western in New York City, on January 14, 1865. These same men from the ship’s manifest, also appear on the muster roll of 64th New York Infantry – on the very same day.
During the early days of the Global War on Terrorism, President George W. Bush issued an executive order that made non-citizen members of the armed forces eligible for expedited citizenship for the United States. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services According (USCIS), over 100,000 members of the U.S. armed forces have been naturalized since September 2002.
Challenges
The major complication has been navigating the system. Being able to understand and maneuver through the necessary obstacles has proven challenging for some. For others, the challenges were too daunting, and they never obtained their citizenship.
USCIS currently states on their website that military service members can have the requirements of continuous residency, physical presence, and filing fee waived. The service member must be able to read, write, and speak the English language, pass a knowledge test of U.S. government and history, take an Oath of Allegiance to the U.S. Constitution, have obtained lawful permanent resident status before the citizenship interview/test, and have served honorably in the U.S. armed forces for at least one year. They must apply while serving or within six months of ETS.
However, the Air Force is making the news today by streamlining the challenges associated with naturalization. Through their stewardship and leading of young men and women to citizenship through a new program, recruits are quickly enrolled in the citizenship system from day one. When they start basic training, the expedited process begins which includes all required paperwork and testing being conducted. By the time Air Force recruit finishes the required seven weeks of training, the process is complete, and they are sworn in as American citizens. With significant coordination with the USCIS to protect against security risks, the new program has changed both Air Force policy and their methods of assisting legal immigrants.
Many believe that pulling more recruits from the legal immigrant population may not provide a large surge in recruiting numbers. However, any increase in overall military recruiting will help the nation’s security and will provide a great service to those seeking an expedited method to gain highly desirable U.S. citizenship.
