MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Several Depot Marines were among 207 service members who became American citizens Jan. 30 in a mass naturalization ceremony hosted by the Marine Corps and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service at Camp Pendleton's South Mesa Staff Noncommissioned Officers Club.
Cpl. Renison S. Kirton, administrative clerk, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion and Sgt. Kent Sabido, drill instructor, Company G, were among those service members who participated in the ceremony and added their names to the list of more than 13,000 military men and women who have applied for citizenship since the naturalization process became simplified by an executive order signed by President Bush July 3, 2002.
The order waives the three-year residency requirement for military personnel and authorizes all non-citizen active duty service members serving on and after Sept. 11, 2001 to apply for citizenship because they are serving during a period of armed conflict.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was the guest speaker at the ceremony, and he offered some insight into his experiences as an immigrant.
"You came here with a dream of a better life, and I can relate to that ... Twenty years ago, I lived out my dream to become an American citizen, and it's fantastic that I'm able to celebrate this great day with (you)." he said.
Schwarzenegger, who was born in Austria, became an American citizen in 1983. His speech focused on the American dream and the importance of a citizen giving back to his country. He talked about the success he has enjoyed as a bodybuilder, an actor and a businessman and how that success compelled him to contribute and 'give back' to his country.
"What I have done-what I have given back to America is nothing compared to what you do. You are fighting for this country, and that is extraordinary. For that, I applaud you," Schwarzenegger said as his words were met with resounding cheers and applause.
The Hollywood star-turned-governor's presence and words made the ceremony more special for some of the new citizens.
"It was more personal to have a speaker who's been through the same thing," said Kirton. "He was very exciting."
Schwarzenegger's message about giving back to the nation resonated with some of the Depot Marines in attendance.
"I feel even more patriotic," said Sabido, who hails from the Philippines. "My responsibility to this nation is even greater now, and I feel I can give back more to my country."
"Serving as a U.S. Marine, I was halfway there," said Kirton, a native of Guyana. "But I'm here to be a part of this country to the fullest and contribute as much as I can. Now that I'm a citizen, I can do that."
Schwarzenegger wasn't the only immigrant speaker at the event. USCIS Director Eduardo Aguirre, a Cuban immigrant who was naturalized in 1970, also spoke at the ceremony and commended the service members for their commitment to the defense of the nation.
"Thousands of immigrant troops are making extraordinary sacrifices for America, and there is no more fitting way for a grateful nation to demonstrate its appreciation than through expedited citizenship," he said.
U.S. District Court Judge M. James Lorenz presided over the special ceremony, and Maj. Gen. William G. Bowdon III, commanding general, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, was also on hand to help celebrate the event.
The 207 new Americans represented 43 countries and five continents.
The governor's closing words seemed to describe the overall feeling in the South Mesa SNCO Club that morning when he said, "We are humbled and honored to have you as fellow countrymen and women, so good luck. Thank you, and Semper Fi."