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Rescue Wing Airman earns U.S. Citizenship

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Luke Johnson
  • 943rd Rescue Group Public Affairs
As a little child she visualized the United States as a large perfect suburban neighborhood with plenty of green grass and trees, until 1999 when she finally arrived to Arizona where she was surprised to see that it was a hot, dry, desert.

The barren land did not stop Airman 1st Class Perla Tapia Valenzuela, personnel specialist with the 920th Force Support Squadron detachment, from realizing a lifelong dream of becoming a U.S. Citizen.

"At first, I did not want to come to the United States because I did not know how to speak English," said Airman Tapia Valenzuela. "But my mom said that there is a better opportunity here."

Born in Mexicali, a small town along the California border, Airman Tapia Valenzuela joined theAir Force Reserve in 2010, so she could obtain her citizenship in one year instead of five.

She received her residence card in 2008 because her dad is a naturalized citizen.

"The most important thing for me in becoming a citizen is having a voice in the community and being able to vote on issues that are important to me," she said.

Another important aspect is the sense of safety she feels, which has allowed her the freedom to pursue her education and take advantage of the opportunities afforded to her.
"Being in the United States, I feel protected; I see cops all of the time which wasn't the case where she grew up. ...it was a completely different lifestyle."

While in Air Force Basic Military Training to become Airmen, she was the only non U.S. citizen in her flight.

"A lot of people respect that, even though you are not a citizen, you've made a choice to fight for our country," said Airman Tapia Valenzuela.

She encourages others like her who are in the military, to get their citizenship because it's a lot easier to complete the process, and the military covers the cost.

"A lot of people don't realize that there are a lot more advantages to being a citizen than just a resident," she said.

In the fall, she will be attending Glendale Community College in Glendale, Ariz. and wants to transfer to Arizona State University to study physical therapy.

"I feel accomplished now that I'm a U.S. citizen," she said.

For more information on being a U.S. citizen, visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services military section at www.uscis.gov/military.

For more information about the 920th RQW, log on to the wing's Web site:www.920rqw.afrc.af.mil or follow them on Facebook or Twitter.