Since 2001 106,850 individuals earned their United States citizenship through military service (US Citizenship and Immigration Services, 2017). Individuals interested in joining through this venue are limited in job options and may only join as enlisted, meaning that Green Card holding individuals who hold a Bachelors, Masters, or Doctorate degree, who choose to pursue citizenship through military service, join at the same rank and pay as 18 year old Americans joining directly after graduating high school. To a degree, this experience can be humbling, and sometimes frustrating. On the other hand, these individuals often are more grateful for the opportunity to serve than their Natural born counterparts. After serving long enough to earn full citizenship, this also opens more doors, after military service, than their counterparts who chose not to serve and are still struggling to find employment with their Green Card.
As a counselor, one of our most important jobs is to be an advocate for our clients. Individuals who pursue naturalization through military service are often older, and more educated than their peers. This can be a deep source of frustration. Depending on their country of origin, they may even endure racially driven taunts, from peers, who refer to them as “terrorists” in spite of their decision to serve and even lay down their life for these same peers. As a counselor, however, we can help them to utilize their international background, and reframe it as a strength.
After international military service members have been naturalized, their opportunities for jobs open, but they are not always aware of this. Their prior Green Card status, kept them from certain jobs, but after having been naturalized, this changes. If they are interested in a different military specialization they can put in an application for a lateral move, and pursue a career in alignment with their interests. If they already have a degree, they have the opportunity to apply for Officer Candidate School. Within the military, Officers with prior military enlisted experiences, are often given more respect than Officers newly graduated from college. Their enlisted military experience would benefit them significantly in gaining respect of the men and women they lead.
Beyond this, the international military service members have the opportunity to take the military linguistic exam and serve their branch of the military as a translator or area expert. Within any job, it is easy to get stuck in the moment. By understanding the opportunities, the international service members have, a counselor can work with them to help them to make a plan for their future, accounting for these opportunities.
When opting to work with military, you may not realize that you may end up working with someone facing immigration issues. Military service does not always mean quick naturalization. Military life in itself can be a stressor. Add maintaining Green Card status, peer bullying (coupled with potential hazing), and cultural differences, and you have a perfect storm triggering stress, anxiety, and depression. Mental health professionals, taking the time to understand, and validate the emotions triggered by these experiences, may help these individuals to turn military service into the best years of their life, as opposed to the worst.
References:
US Citizenship and Immigration Services. (2017, May 19). Naturalization Fact Sheet. Retrieved from https://www.uscis.gov/news/fact-sheets/naturalization-fact-sheet
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Jennifer Attila is a prevention specialist leading psychoeducational groups with active duty personnel. It is her passion to increase knowledge for current and future counselors on the unique experience that is Military culture, to better help those who serve and their families.