Fort Sill soldiers gain citizenship at Naturalization ceremony

Spc. Jessica Cespedes is living proof that dreams do come true.

Cespedes, Colombia, was one of 38 Fort Sill soldiers who became U.S. citizens at a Naturalization Ceremony at Thurman Hall on Fort Sill on Thursday.

Cespedes said she stayed in the U.S. the first time she came here.

“I fell in love with the country,” Cespedes said. “It’s like you can be whoever you want to be here. There is always a chance to be better. That’s why I decided to be a citizen. I want to stay here. I want to be part of the (journey).”

Cespedes said there are no opportunities in Colombia.

“I feel like I am a person with a lot of ambition,” Cespedes said. “When I came here, I saw that I can be bigger. I can do better. There are opportunities everywhere, so be really happy with whatever you get.”

Cespedes said she wants to give back to the community as a citizen.

“I feel like those opportunities weren’t there,” Cespedes said. “It’s just sometimes, you don’t know how to approach the opportunities.”

Cespedes said by being a citizen, she can show what she’s capable of.

“I came here with a goal, and so far, I’ve been making them,” Cespedes said. “That’s why I want to be serious. To give back all that I got.”

Cespedes’s said her family didn’t think she was good enough to join the military and be naturalized. They thought she dreamed too much.

“I showed them that you can, you can dream,” Cespedes said. “You just have to believe in yourself. You can do whatever you want, as long as you have the personal courage to pursue it.”

Cespedes said her cousin inspired her to stay in the country.

“She said, ‘if this is what you want to do, you should stay (and) work hard’,” Cespedes said.

Another new citizen, Pfc. Anil GC, said being a citizen and serving the military is far different.

“Being a citizen, I get benefits and as a U.S. soldier, we can get opportunities to defend the country,” GC said.

GC said he already applied for citizenship, but when he came to the U.S., he was told about Selective Service registration and didn’t have to register yet.

“Because of that, I decided to join the military,” GC said. “It’s been my passion ever since I was a child. My uncle was in the Nepalese army.”

GC said he was so proud to become a U.S. citizen.

“I got one opportunity, one gateway to make my career in the military, as well as to defend the country against any kind of war with the enemies,” GC said.

GC said an injury in 2023 prevented him from completing and graduating on time.

“After eight or nine months, I came back to the Army again, thinking that all this time I’ll do it. I’ll complete my basic training,” GC said. “And I’ll do my best whatever I can to try to make my career in the military.”

GC, who came from Nepal, said he came to the U.S. on a diversity visa. He said his friends didn’t know how to guide him properly to gain citizenship.

“If I knew that I can join the Army, if I knew that I could register for the Selective Service at that time, I would have done that before,” GC said. “But later, nobody told me. In Nepal, there was no system for the Selective Service.”

GC said he was studying to get a bachelor’s degree in computer application, but couldn’t complete it due to his diversity visa.

“It’s kind of tough because we have a family and back home I have to take care of our parents,” GC said. “I’m trying to join IT and make my career in IT, since I was from an IT background.”

GC, 33, said it doesn’t matter how old you are.

“If you have a passion, it doesn’t matter,” GC said. “You have to be confident and fast to the goal.”