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Soldier's medal of honor is citizenship

Feb-12-2004 » Filed Under: General Military

Interesting story from the Seattle P-I.

[Link to Full Article]

By CHRIS McGANN
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Juan Escalante was not a patriot, not even an American, when he joined the U.S. Army two years ago.

He was just looking for a way to pay for college.

But it wasn't until after he finished boot camp, until three months after his infantry division invaded Iraq, that the Army discovered the impostor among its ranks.

"I was in Iraq," he said. "All of a sudden they said I had to go speak with the inspector general ... that's when they really asked me, 'Is your green card fake?' ... I told them the truth."

The Army normally discharges illegal immigrants, leaving them subject to deportation.

But not Escalante.


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