Photo By Lt.Cmdr. Wesley Holzapfel | On Aug. 18, 2012, ADC Bonspiel reaffirmed he would support and defend the Constitution...... read more read more
By Lt. Cmdr. Page Felini
WASHINGTON - For well over 200 years, the mission of the U.S. Navy has been carried out by the selfless service of hundreds of thousands of sailors. As part of that tradition, our ranks have been manned by citizens and non-citizens alike.
The current presence of immigrants in the military has deep historical roots. Non-citizens have fought in the U.S. Armed Forces since the beginning of the Revolutionary War. In fact, nearly 20 percent of the 1.5 million service members in the Union Army, during the Civil War, were foreign-born residents.
According to data from the Department of Defense, more than 65,000 immigrants (non-citizens and naturalized citizens) are serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. Of all military branches, the Navy has the highest number of foreign-born personnel. Recently, that tradition continued when ADC(AW) Robert G. Bonspiel, a Canadian citizen, elected to re-enlist in the U.S. Navy after over 11 years of honorable service.
Chief Bonspiel grew up in Mississauga, Ontario. When he was 20 years old he joined the U.S. Navy to do something positive with his life. A career aircraft maintenance professional, he has served in VP-66, HSC-5, AIMD Willow Grove, and currently as a Quality Assurance Chief assigned to VR-53, a Navy Logistics C-130 Squadron, at Joint Base Andrews, Md.
On Aug. 18, 2012, ADC Bonspiel reaffirmed he would support and defend the Constitution of the United States in a ceremony conducted at the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. Recognizing the unique sacrifice he has made by choosing to serve, members of the VR-53 “Capital Express” and the Navy Attaché Office of the Canadian Defense Liaison Staff gathered together to celebrate the time honored tradition of reciting the re-enlistment oath.
LCDR Page Felini, VR-53’s Maintenance Officer, recognized the distinctive role that non-citizens play in the Navy’s “Global Force for Good” and coordinated the ceremony focused on the importance of Partnership in Defense. She contacted the Canadian Embassy and with the help of the Canadian Navy Attaché Office, the VR-53 Chiefs Mess visited the Canadian Embassy following ADC Bonspiel’s re-enlistment. On behalf of the CDLS, Lt(N) Richard Rhodes presented ADC Bonspiel with a coin celebrating the longstanding and highly successful partnership between the United States and Canada.
The U.S. Armed Forces greatly benefits from the service of its foreign-born. Non-citizen sailors offer great racial, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity. This diversity is particularly valuable given our military's increasingly global missions. It is important that we recognize the significant sacrifices made by foreign-born members because, each year, around 8,000 non-citizens enlist in the military and help advance our military’s cause.
| Date Taken: | 08.18.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 09.18.2012 10:57 |
| Story ID: | 94885 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 490 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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