MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- Five Miramar Marines officially became United States citizens during a naturalization ceremony held aboard the USS Cleveland April 4.
Gunnery Sgt. Boris Peredo, Sergeants Ritchie Baroa, Juan Bravo and Jesus Granados, and Cpl. Minjae Kim raised their right hands alongside 54 fellow service members and swore allegiance to the United States.
For Peredo, a native of Bolivia, this moment was a long time coming.
“It’s a moment I’ve been waiting for,” said Peredo.
The Marines collectively described the ceremony as a proud moment that opens up new opportunities to all the newly sworn in citizens.
“It’s a great feeling being a U.S. citizen,” said Bravo, a native of Mexico and a freight specialist with the traffic management office.
“This is a huge milestone for anyone who chooses to become a naturalized citizen ... ,” said Lt. Col. Keith M. Cutler, commanding officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, MCAS Miramar. “It’s my honor to be here today and see some of my Marines become naturalized citizens.”
U.S. Federal Court District Judge, the Honorable Thomas J. Whelan, presided over the ceremony. In his address to the service members, Whelan congratulated them as fellow Americans.
“I believe our diversity is a primary source of our strength as a nation. Your sacrifice and willingness to serve is the cornerstone of our democracy,” said Whelan.
Guest speaker, Rear Adm. Leendert R. Hering Sr., commander, Navy Region Southwest, addressed the 59 service members saying some people are American by birth, but they are Americans by choice.
The new U.S. citizens represented 20 different countries and six different continents.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and Navy Region Southwest hosted the ceremony, which marked the first all-military naturalization ceremony held in the San Diego region this year.
Since President George W. Bush signed the Expedited Naturalization Executive Order July 3, 2002, U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has naturalized more than 26,000 service members.