Coming to America: 319th Civil Engineer Squadron Airman becomes U.S. citizen

Published Nov. 7, 2014
By Staff Sgt. Susan L. Davis
319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- An Airman from the 319th Civil Engineer Squadron has a special reason to celebrate this holiday season--less than a month ago, he officially obtained his U.S. citizenship.

Airman 1st Class Marco Antonio Guerrero Nacif is a native of Ciudad Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, Mexico, a city named for the last Aztec emperor, located about five hours from El Paso, Texas.

The 26-year-old came to the United States on a tourist visa in 2007, but made a life-changing decision in the beginning of 2014 by enlisting in the Air Force. He spoke about a friend who belonged to the Marine Corps, and a former employer who once belonged to the Army. He said he always enjoyed hearing their stories from their time in the Armed Forces, and that they helped inspire him to find his own story to tell.

"My main reason for joining the Air Force was that I wanted to have that sense of pride and accomplishment, I wanted to have something to tell my kids and grandkids about one day," he said.

Guerrero explained that while the citizenship process normally takes years to complete for non-military members, those who do take the military route see their citizenship application process cut into a fraction.

"Being a military member helps a lot," he said. "At basic training, there is someone there to help you fill out and file the forms. Later, there is an interview where you get asked questions about American history, politics, and to see how well you speak English. Eventually you schedule the oath ceremony and you get your certificate of citizenship. The whole thing takes about three or four months instead of being a temporary resident for a couple of years, then a permanent resident, then applying for citizenship. The military takes priority."

He said that while he enjoys his job as a power production apprentice, he still imagines one day transitioning into the medical field using his previous emergency medical technician education.

"I'm only about 10 credits away from my associate's degree, and I would really love to get my bachelor's before the end of my enlistment," he said. "I'm keeping my options open. I might decide to pursue a commission later on, or I may stay in as an enlisted member."

He summed up his feelings with a single thought:

"I love Mexico," he said. "I was born and raised there, but there are so many opportunities available here that I would never have there. There are many people here who do not know what it truly means to not have actual freedoms. In this country you can do and be anything you want."