To Rete...
May 13th 2003, 4:19 am
#1
Howling at the Moon
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Incline Village, NV
Posts: 3,742
To Rete...
I have just been reading one of my local papers. There was a news article about a man who was a PR and qualified for expedited (immediate) Naturalization under the executive order by President Bush last summer. He is a member of the National Guard. It doesn't state many details but I thought your husband was a member of the National Guard also so you may find it interesting. I don't know if your husband was called up for Active Service during the Iraqi war. All the same, a cute story I thought 
Nevada guardsman becomes U.S. citizen
Geralda Miller
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
5/10/2003 07:27 pm
Florian Waitl grew up in a quaint European town but dreamed of being an American citizen and wearing the green of the U.S. Army.
He got his dream.
Waitl joined the Nevada Army National Guard and, because of an executive order by President George W. Bush last summer, he has become an American citizen.
“When I was a little kid in Germany, I had the American flag in front of the house,� said the 22-year-old, whose rank is a specialist. “That’s not normal, is it?�
The July 3 order provides expedited naturalization for aliens and non-citizen nationals serving in active duty in the armed forces during the war on terrorism that began after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Waitl is one of more than 30,000 members of the armed forces with green cards who now are immediately eligible for U.S. citizenship. The Immigration and Nationality Act requires a person to live in the United States for at least five years before they are eligible to apply for citizenship.
Prior to the executive order, permanent residents enlisted in the military were eligible to apply for citizenship after three years of active service.
“Going from three years to immediate eligibility is a big deal,� said Russell Ahr, spokesman for the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services in Phoenix. The bureau formerly was called the Department of Immigration and Naturalization Service.
For Waitl, the process of becoming a U.S. citizen did not happen as quickly as he wanted. He said he met resistance at the Reno immigration office “because nobody knew about that law.�
Ahr acknowledged there might have been confusion at the Reno office but said the changes meant writing new regulations and distributing them to the departments across the country — a task that takes time.
“All I can say is it’s regrettable, but I do not regard that as highly unusual,� he said. “I do not find it reprehensible that the Reno office did not know about the proclamation 30 days after it was issued.�
But Waitl has been in a hurry to become an American citizen.
Waitl was an exchange student his junior year at Churchill County High School in Fallon. He said he liked being in the United States so much that he stayed a second year with his host family and graduated in 1999.
He took courses at a community college and the University of Nevada, Reno and got married in June 2000 before enlisting in the Army National Guard in September 2000. Three months later, he received his green card.
The happiest time of his life was going through boot camp in Fort Knox, Ky. He said everything about the experience thrilled him.
“I was the outstanding treasure — just one of the best,� he said.
He was called up to active duty in October 2001 and a month after the executive order he applied for citizenship. He is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, where he said he teaches Air Force personnel how to shoot small arms.
“So by teaching them right, they might come home,� Waitl said.
He said he became frustrated with his phone calls to the immigration office and found a lawyer who offered to help him.
“The American dream came crashing down,� he said. “I can serve and die and do all that stuff. I have my obligations but they should also have their obligations.�
The legislation does not say the processing of applications would be handled differently, Ahr said.
Some immigration offices have an armed forces liaison who processes applications of military personnel. If not, an application goes through the normal process.
On April 14, in a back room at the immigration office in Reno, Waitl raised his right arm, with his lawyer present, and swore his allegiance to defend the U.S. Constitution and laws against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
“I’m still happy that I finally got that and no more fighting with the INS,� Waitl said. “And I can follow my dreams.�
http://www.rgj.com/news/stories/html...5/10/41695.php
Nevada guardsman becomes U.S. citizen
Geralda Miller
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
5/10/2003 07:27 pm
Florian Waitl grew up in a quaint European town but dreamed of being an American citizen and wearing the green of the U.S. Army.
He got his dream.
Waitl joined the Nevada Army National Guard and, because of an executive order by President George W. Bush last summer, he has become an American citizen.
“When I was a little kid in Germany, I had the American flag in front of the house,� said the 22-year-old, whose rank is a specialist. “That’s not normal, is it?�
The July 3 order provides expedited naturalization for aliens and non-citizen nationals serving in active duty in the armed forces during the war on terrorism that began after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Waitl is one of more than 30,000 members of the armed forces with green cards who now are immediately eligible for U.S. citizenship. The Immigration and Nationality Act requires a person to live in the United States for at least five years before they are eligible to apply for citizenship.
Prior to the executive order, permanent residents enlisted in the military were eligible to apply for citizenship after three years of active service.
“Going from three years to immediate eligibility is a big deal,� said Russell Ahr, spokesman for the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services in Phoenix. The bureau formerly was called the Department of Immigration and Naturalization Service.
For Waitl, the process of becoming a U.S. citizen did not happen as quickly as he wanted. He said he met resistance at the Reno immigration office “because nobody knew about that law.�
Ahr acknowledged there might have been confusion at the Reno office but said the changes meant writing new regulations and distributing them to the departments across the country — a task that takes time.
“All I can say is it’s regrettable, but I do not regard that as highly unusual,� he said. “I do not find it reprehensible that the Reno office did not know about the proclamation 30 days after it was issued.�
But Waitl has been in a hurry to become an American citizen.
Waitl was an exchange student his junior year at Churchill County High School in Fallon. He said he liked being in the United States so much that he stayed a second year with his host family and graduated in 1999.
He took courses at a community college and the University of Nevada, Reno and got married in June 2000 before enlisting in the Army National Guard in September 2000. Three months later, he received his green card.
The happiest time of his life was going through boot camp in Fort Knox, Ky. He said everything about the experience thrilled him.
“I was the outstanding treasure — just one of the best,� he said.
He was called up to active duty in October 2001 and a month after the executive order he applied for citizenship. He is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, where he said he teaches Air Force personnel how to shoot small arms.
“So by teaching them right, they might come home,� Waitl said.
He said he became frustrated with his phone calls to the immigration office and found a lawyer who offered to help him.
“The American dream came crashing down,� he said. “I can serve and die and do all that stuff. I have my obligations but they should also have their obligations.�
The legislation does not say the processing of applications would be handled differently, Ahr said.
Some immigration offices have an armed forces liaison who processes applications of military personnel. If not, an application goes through the normal process.
On April 14, in a back room at the immigration office in Reno, Waitl raised his right arm, with his lawyer present, and swore his allegiance to defend the U.S. Constitution and laws against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
“I’m still happy that I finally got that and no more fighting with the INS,� Waitl said. “And I can follow my dreams.�
http://www.rgj.com/news/stories/html...5/10/41695.php
May 13th 2003, 10:23 am
#2
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,416
Re: To Rete...
Thanks laird but doesn't apply to Jim. He is a Captain in the New York State Guard and although activated with the event of 9/11/01, he does not qualify. We checked it out. He is too old for the National Guard, unfortunately.
Rete
Rete
Originally posted by lairdside
I have just been reading one of my local papers. There was a news article about a man who was a PR and qualified for expedited (immediate) Naturalization under the executive order by President Bush last summer. He is a member of the National Guard. It doesn't state many details but I thought your husband was a member of the National Guard also so you may find it interesting. I don't know if your husband was called up for Active Service during the Iraqi war. All the same, a cute story I thought
Nevada guardsman becomes U.S. citizen
Geralda Miller
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
5/10/2003 07:27 pm
Florian Waitl grew up in a quaint European town but dreamed of being an American citizen and wearing the green of the U.S. Army.
He got his dream.
Waitl joined the Nevada Army National Guard and, because of an executive order by President George W. Bush last summer, he has become an American citizen.
“When I was a little kid in Germany, I had the American flag in front of the house,� said the 22-year-old, whose rank is a specialist. “That’s not normal, is it?�
The July 3 order provides expedited naturalization for aliens and non-citizen nationals serving in active duty in the armed forces during the war on terrorism that began after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Waitl is one of more than 30,000 members of the armed forces with green cards who now are immediately eligible for U.S. citizenship. The Immigration and Nationality Act requires a person to live in the United States for at least five years before they are eligible to apply for citizenship.
Prior to the executive order, permanent residents enlisted in the military were eligible to apply for citizenship after three years of active service.
“Going from three years to immediate eligibility is a big deal,� said Russell Ahr, spokesman for the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services in Phoenix. The bureau formerly was called the Department of Immigration and Naturalization Service.
For Waitl, the process of becoming a U.S. citizen did not happen as quickly as he wanted. He said he met resistance at the Reno immigration office “because nobody knew about that law.�
Ahr acknowledged there might have been confusion at the Reno office but said the changes meant writing new regulations and distributing them to the departments across the country — a task that takes time.
“All I can say is it’s regrettable, but I do not regard that as highly unusual,� he said. “I do not find it reprehensible that the Reno office did not know about the proclamation 30 days after it was issued.�
But Waitl has been in a hurry to become an American citizen.
Waitl was an exchange student his junior year at Churchill County High School in Fallon. He said he liked being in the United States so much that he stayed a second year with his host family and graduated in 1999.
He took courses at a community college and the University of Nevada, Reno and got married in June 2000 before enlisting in the Army National Guard in September 2000. Three months later, he received his green card.
The happiest time of his life was going through boot camp in Fort Knox, Ky. He said everything about the experience thrilled him.
“I was the outstanding treasure — just one of the best,� he said.
He was called up to active duty in October 2001 and a month after the executive order he applied for citizenship. He is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, where he said he teaches Air Force personnel how to shoot small arms.
“So by teaching them right, they might come home,� Waitl said.
He said he became frustrated with his phone calls to the immigration office and found a lawyer who offered to help him.
“The American dream came crashing down,� he said. “I can serve and die and do all that stuff. I have my obligations but they should also have their obligations.�
The legislation does not say the processing of applications would be handled differently, Ahr said.
Some immigration offices have an armed forces liaison who processes applications of military personnel. If not, an application goes through the normal process.
On April 14, in a back room at the immigration office in Reno, Waitl raised his right arm, with his lawyer present, and swore his allegiance to defend the U.S. Constitution and laws against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
“I’m still happy that I finally got that and no more fighting with the INS,� Waitl said. “And I can follow my dreams.�
http://www.rgj.com/news/stories/html...5/10/41695.php
I have just been reading one of my local papers. There was a news article about a man who was a PR and qualified for expedited (immediate) Naturalization under the executive order by President Bush last summer. He is a member of the National Guard. It doesn't state many details but I thought your husband was a member of the National Guard also so you may find it interesting. I don't know if your husband was called up for Active Service during the Iraqi war. All the same, a cute story I thought
Nevada guardsman becomes U.S. citizen
Geralda Miller
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
5/10/2003 07:27 pm
Florian Waitl grew up in a quaint European town but dreamed of being an American citizen and wearing the green of the U.S. Army.
He got his dream.
Waitl joined the Nevada Army National Guard and, because of an executive order by President George W. Bush last summer, he has become an American citizen.
“When I was a little kid in Germany, I had the American flag in front of the house,� said the 22-year-old, whose rank is a specialist. “That’s not normal, is it?�
The July 3 order provides expedited naturalization for aliens and non-citizen nationals serving in active duty in the armed forces during the war on terrorism that began after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Waitl is one of more than 30,000 members of the armed forces with green cards who now are immediately eligible for U.S. citizenship. The Immigration and Nationality Act requires a person to live in the United States for at least five years before they are eligible to apply for citizenship.
Prior to the executive order, permanent residents enlisted in the military were eligible to apply for citizenship after three years of active service.
“Going from three years to immediate eligibility is a big deal,� said Russell Ahr, spokesman for the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services in Phoenix. The bureau formerly was called the Department of Immigration and Naturalization Service.
For Waitl, the process of becoming a U.S. citizen did not happen as quickly as he wanted. He said he met resistance at the Reno immigration office “because nobody knew about that law.�
Ahr acknowledged there might have been confusion at the Reno office but said the changes meant writing new regulations and distributing them to the departments across the country — a task that takes time.
“All I can say is it’s regrettable, but I do not regard that as highly unusual,� he said. “I do not find it reprehensible that the Reno office did not know about the proclamation 30 days after it was issued.�
But Waitl has been in a hurry to become an American citizen.
Waitl was an exchange student his junior year at Churchill County High School in Fallon. He said he liked being in the United States so much that he stayed a second year with his host family and graduated in 1999.
He took courses at a community college and the University of Nevada, Reno and got married in June 2000 before enlisting in the Army National Guard in September 2000. Three months later, he received his green card.
The happiest time of his life was going through boot camp in Fort Knox, Ky. He said everything about the experience thrilled him.
“I was the outstanding treasure — just one of the best,� he said.
He was called up to active duty in October 2001 and a month after the executive order he applied for citizenship. He is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, where he said he teaches Air Force personnel how to shoot small arms.
“So by teaching them right, they might come home,� Waitl said.
He said he became frustrated with his phone calls to the immigration office and found a lawyer who offered to help him.
“The American dream came crashing down,� he said. “I can serve and die and do all that stuff. I have my obligations but they should also have their obligations.�
The legislation does not say the processing of applications would be handled differently, Ahr said.
Some immigration offices have an armed forces liaison who processes applications of military personnel. If not, an application goes through the normal process.
On April 14, in a back room at the immigration office in Reno, Waitl raised his right arm, with his lawyer present, and swore his allegiance to defend the U.S. Constitution and laws against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
“I’m still happy that I finally got that and no more fighting with the INS,� Waitl said. “And I can follow my dreams.�
http://www.rgj.com/news/stories/html...5/10/41695.php
May 13th 2003, 3:39 pm
#3
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 101
Re: To Rete...
Originally posted by lairdside
Waitl was an exchange student his junior year at Churchill County High School in Fallon.
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Waitl was an exchange student his junior year at Churchill County High School in Fallon.
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I lived in Fallon for 1 year, it was a small town. My second year being there I used to commute from Reno. How did this guy like the US from Being in Fallon?
The one thing I liked about Fallon are the Sand Dunes, ohhhhh they were so much, I also like it Flooting in the river. I also liked gettingto work in less than 10 minutes.
Well, I guess Fallon is not that bad after all
May 13th 2003, 4:50 pm
#4
Howling at the Moon
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Incline Village, NV
Posts: 3,742
Re: To Rete...
Originally posted by Rete
Thanks laird but doesn't apply to Jim. He is a Captain in the New York State Guard and although activated with the event of 9/11/01, he does not qualify. We checked it out. He is too old for the National Guard, unfortunately.
Rete
Thanks laird but doesn't apply to Jim. He is a Captain in the New York State Guard and although activated with the event of 9/11/01, he does not qualify. We checked it out. He is too old for the National Guard, unfortunately.
Rete
