This story is a feature about Sailors aboard USS George Washington who have gone through the process of naturalization to become citizens.

"I couldn't afford to become an American," said Chief Hospital Corpsman Charlena Brown.

"As a civilian, each piece of paper costs hundreds of dollars," she said.

The road to becoming an American was a long and pricey ordeal, even with the possibility of joining the military.

Brown was originally a Canadian native who started the process of becoming an American before joining the U.S. Navy. She started by getting her work permit, eventually got a green card and joined the Navy nine days later.

While serving aboard the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67), Brown said Sailors seeking citizenship would sometimes find themselves with limited opportunities if they did not complete the naturalization in a timely manner.

Today, members of the U.S. military from foreign countries can become American citizens for free. However, the naturalization process was not always this convenient for service members.

Roughly a year after the events of September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush issued an executive order that expedited the citizenship process for military members.

The expedited citizenship process waived certain obstacles such as the five-year continuous residence requirement needed for naturalization. It also waived the $640 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) fee, which made the process quicker and easier for service members.

"For military members, the process is a little bit faster," said Lt. Jennifer Schwartau, George Washington's deputy command judge advocate. "You just have to have served for one year."

Service members seeking citizenship first have to fill out an N-400 Form, which is available on the state department's website, www.uscis.gov. N-400 forms serve as background checks where things such as former addresses and names of family members are listed. A certification of military service must be completed as well. Those pursuing citizenship will also have to take a naturalization test, which consists of questions about their application and background.

Schwartau said those getting their citizenship can start the application process before they have served for a year. However, they will not be eligible for citizenship until they fulfill a year of service.

"Don't be afraid to file the paperwork," said Brown. "It's really worth it."

After the announcement was made that citizenship was necessary to serve aboard certain platforms in the Navy, Brown took advantage of the expedited process and became an American citizen.

"I could actually say I was like everyone else," said Brown. "Usually, I fight against being like everyone else. But for once, I truly wanted to be like everyone else."

Schwartau said having people from other countries join the military and gain citizenship benefits the Navy because it provides diversity in many ways. People from various cultures and backgrounds present different points of view and skill sets in their job fields. The expedited naturalization process attracts people who may have more qualifications than the standard person born in the United States.

"I think everybody works hard and wants to do their best for their country, but sometimes you get a little extra pride from those who are naturalized," Schwartau said.

According to USCIS, more than 100,000 members of the United States military have been naturalized since September 2002.
"The flag that a lot of my friends have died for I'm a part of now," said Brown. "I'm truly a part of it. I own a piece of that."

For more information on naturalization, visit http://www.uscis.gov.

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