My Journey to becoming a U.S. Citizen
Crowley correctional officer Paul Gerards proudly displays his certificate of citizenship.
My first visit to the USA was in summer of 1996, when I visited my mom and brother. At that time, my mom's new husband was a U.S. Air Force (USAF) officer stationed at Tinker Air Force Base near Oklahoma City, Okla. That's when I first fell in love with America and started researching ways to immigrate. After being discharged from the German Air Force in the summer of 1999 I was diagnosed with leukemia, and my immigration plans came to a halt.
I received a bone marrow transplant in 2000 and when I was cleared for work in 2003, I joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as a civilian supply specialist at the NATO Air Force Base in Geilenkirchen, Germany, which is home to the world's only multi-national Airborne Early Warning and Control Force.
In early 2004 I met my wife, Diana, who was a staff sergeant in the USAF and had recently been transferred to the NATO air base. She was a fuels specialist and we were both part of the same chain of command in the logistics wing (our first conversation was about Stephen King book "Bag of Bones"). We got married in October 2004 in Christiansfeld, Denmark.
With Diana as my sponsor we started the visa application process in early 2005. It required a huge load of paperwork and multiple trips to the U.S. Embassy in Frankfurt over the course of almost a year.
I was granted a visa in late 2005. Normally, a person being granted a visa has to stay in the U.S. and provide good reason for being outside of the country for an extended period of time. Because I'm married to a member of the armed forces this requirement was waived and I had to spend only 24 hours in the U.S. So my official date of entry into this country was December 17, 2005 in Atlanta, Ga., although we did not move to the USA until 2006.
Diana was medically discharged from the USAF in 2006 and after a two-week stay in Aurora, Colo. we moved to Crowley County because Diana's father lives here. I started at Crowley County Correctional Facility in October 2006. Because Diana and I were married for less than two years at the time, my green card was approved and I was issued a temporary visa (this is to discourage people from entering scam marriages). In 2007 I applied for and was granted an unconditional visa (also known as green card, officially called a permanent resident card).
In March 2011 I submitted my application for naturalization, and in June I went to the U.S. Citizens and Immigration Services office in Centennial for the interview and the civics test. To pass the test an applicant must correctly read one sentence in English and write another sentence in English. Then the interviewing officer continues with the civics test. Each applicant is asked a maximum of 10 out of 100 possible questions and must answer at least six of those questions correctly. All the questions are included in a study guide applicants receive earlier in the immigration process. At the end of the interview the officer told me he would approve my application and that I would receive information about my oath ceremony in the mail soon.
Diana contacted Colorado State Senator Michael Bennett's office in Washington D.C. and asked that a U.S. flag be flown over the Capitol building on July 29 (the day after I was to officially become a citizen). I received my flag with a certificate from Senator Bennett on August 8.
On July 28 I took my oath of citizenship along with 48 other immigrants from seven different countries, at the U.S. district courthouse in Denver. Diana, a close friend of ours from Nebraska and my three goddaughters were with me. I'm proud to be an American!
August 26, 2011
Sound Out
Sandra Day at Northfork Correctional Facility:
your story really touched me ...I had chill bumps up and down my spine!!
WELCOME TO AMERICA!!!
Heather Smith at McRae Correctional:
Awesome story. Proud for you!
Wendy Gardner at FSC:
Thank you for sharing your story - very inspirational!
Ana A Martinez at Moore Haven Correctional Fac:
Beautiful story, really moving. My father is currently in the process of obtaining his naturalization. He has been in this country for over 25 years now. I appreciate you having the courage to share this story with all of us, not many people would....Welcome Brother!!!!