USAG Bavaria welcomes 35 newest American citizens

TOWER BARRACKS, Germany - As part of a special program to naturalize active-duty service members and their families, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria hosted a virtual naturalization ceremony at the Tower View Conference Center, Oct. 2. In total, 35 candidates from 21 countries were administered the Oath of Allegiance.

Following the national anthem the participants took the "Oath of Allegiance", virtually conducted by a representative with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, marking the start of their new lives as American citizens.

The citizens naturalized at the ceremony originally came from Benin, Ghana, Philippines, Colombia, Germany, Cuba, Burkina Faso, Honduras, Bangladesh, China, Cameroon, South Korea, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Romania, Italy and Cote D'Ivoire.

"Today marks not an end but a beginning," said Brig. Gen. Terry Tillis, commanding general of the 7th Army Training Command. "Becoming a citizen is about embracing the responsibilities that come with belonging to a community. It's about contributing to the well-being of our society and upholding the principles that unite all of us."

The ceremony concluded with Garrison Commander Col. Stephen C. Flanagan and Command Sgt. Maj. James A. Boersma distributing certificates of naturalization to America's newest citizens.

"America has been built by immigrants. This makes our nation richer, stronger, and more diverse than anywhere else in the world," said Flanagan during his remarks.

"America's strength doesn't only lie in its Armed Forces or economy as much it does in the hearts and minds of its people. People of strong character who, in their own ways, step up to move America forward," he said. "Thank you for bringing you - your culture, your familial customs and personal histories with you to the place of your new citizenry."

In old tradition the ceremony concluded with the youngest participant, Long Xiang Lin from China, cutting the cake with Col. Stephen C. Flanagan.

View additional photos of the event here.

Here's a list of all the newly naturalized U.S. citizens:

• Djmal Akitola Adjilye - Benin
• Yvonne OpokuAgyemang - Ghana
• Kweku Danso Arthur - Ghana
• Cinderella Jamero Barker - Phillipines
• Jose Miguel Ramirez Bedoya - Colombia
• Eva Day - Germany
• Melanie Simone Feuerer - Germany
• Jorge Javier Gomez Gonzalez - Cuba
• Sabrina Maria Hinkle - Germany
• Ovive Moses Jonathan Churchill Houmbie - Benin
• Julia Hubka - Germany
• Pengwendenau Roseline Ilboudo - Burkina Faso
• Junior David Oseguera Irias - Honduras
• Mst Sumya Binte Jui - Bangladesh
• Long Xiang Lin - China
• Piero Alexander Mendoza Lopez - Peru
• Ramona Lupu - Romania
• Ernesto Martinez Martinez - Cuba
• Beyonce Nicole Malicse Mateo - Philippines
• Rita Bih Ngufor - Cameroon
• Abena Oselowusu - Ghana
• Younghoon Park - South Korea
• Susan Cecilia Parrales - Honduras
• Edva Paulem - Haiti
• Miguel Jose Reyes Perez - Dominican Republic
• Rhowell Nhover Pastor Ramilo - Philippines
• Yesenia Rosales Ramirez - Mexico
• Isidro Alcaraz Rivera - Mexico
• Maria Mercedes Rodriguez - Venezuela
• Victoria Lara Oliveira Schenk - Brazil
• Nadja Evelyn Schoonover - Germany
• Silke Ursula Velez - Germany
• Emilce Johanna Williams - Italy
• Zhenyu Xi - China
• Mambo Jonathan Yapo - Cote D'Ivoire