If they can serve in military pass the DREAM ACT
Tampa, Fla.,_ The Tampa Tribune reported this week on the importance of immigrants, mostly Latinos from Mexico, to the United States military fighting an unpopular war. The article by Keith Morelli highlights the life and sacrifice of Arturo Huerta-Cruz a 23 year old from Clearwater who gave his life last week for his adopted country. The report underscores the contributions of the nearly 40,000 non citizens serving in today’s U.S. military who now makeup seven percent of our armed forces.
Huerta-Cruz , who came to the U.S. at age seven, was killed 100 miles north of Bagdad by enemy explosives. The article went on to point out that the military does not worry about noncitizens within their ranks, knowing they want to serve their new country as well or better than birthright citizens. The Navy has the most in their ranks followed by the Marines, Army and Air Force.
Retired Army Lt. Col. George K. Smith put it this way, “Troops don’t delineate who is a citizen and who is not when on the battlefield. Proper training takes care of any differences in combat capabilities. Individuals serving in our armed services now are all volunteers. In my day, we were good, but these young men and women today far exceed what we were. They are smarter, better educated and more devoted to serving this country.”
Viva Arturo Huerta-Cruz! Gracias por su sacrificio!
