Photo By Staff Sgt. Michaela Granger | U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Cassandra Mosbrucker, North Dakota Army National Guard's...... read more read more
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Cassandra Mosbrucker, North Dakota Army National Guard's Personnel Security Manager and a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Working Group, noticed that Soldiers who were not U.S. citizens unsuccessfully sought clearances required for military schools. The Soldiers erroneously believed that the process for citizenship automatically began upon completion of Basic Combat Training. She discovered that there were many Soldiers in this same position, unaware that their military careers were being delayed because of it.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, lawful permanent residents (LPRs) are non-citizens who are lawfully authorized to live permanently within the United States. LPRs may accept an offer of employment without special restrictions, own property, receive financial assistance at public colleges and universities, and join the Armed Forces. Enlisting in the U.S. Army, including the Army National Guard, is one way for LPRs to gain U.S. citizenship. However, many Soldiers in the Army National Guard are unaware of how to start the naturalization process.
Formerly, a program called the Naturalization at Basic Training Initiative began the process immediately after BCT. In 2017, the program for naturalization underwent several changes and was removed from BCT. Now the naturalization process is initiated by the Soldier’s home state. Two forms are required, form N-400 and form N-426. The forms are then signed by higher leadership and filed to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Once the forms are submitted to the USCIS, it can take anywhere from three months to a year to complete the process, depending on the Soldier’s background. Then, a security clearance can take anywhere from a week to a year to process.
In accordance with U.S. Army regulations, only U.S. citizens are eligible for security clearances. Without the appropriate security clearance, Soldiers cannot access the IT network, attend most schoolhouses, be on orders longer than 30 days, and cannot be hired full-time within the organization. They are limited to certain jobs within the U.S. Army and most cannot reach a rank higher than sergeant.
Pfc. Yusuf Mustapha immigrated to the United States from Nigeria in 2017. He studied at Minnesota State University Moorhead and enlisted in the Army National Guard in 2019 as an automated logistical specialist. He completed BCT and expected his citizenship process to begin when he got to AIT, but his drill sergeant explained that the policy had changed. Once he returned to North Dakota, Mustapha began the process, taking the initiative to learn how to fill out the forms and how to submit them himself. After that, Mustapha was contacted by Soldiers from other units seeking information on how to start their citizenship process.
During this time, Mosbrucker and the Diversity and Inclusion Working Group pushed to create the position of Naturalization Specialist. Mustapha was hired, bringing first-hand experience of the process. He now works to build a working partnership with the state USCIS office. Mustapha tracks Soldiers who are LPRs from their enlistment and finds Soldiers who have already enlisted and are unaware of the process. He informs them of their options and assists those who want to start, helping them with the naturalization process and preparing them for the Naturalization Interview and Test.
| Date Taken: | 06.16.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 03.08.2024 11:51 |
| Story ID: | 465726 |
| Location: | BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 46 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Taking the Initiative, by SSG Michaela Granger, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
