• 10
  • February
    2012

With official military commitment to Iraq at an end and as commitment to Afghanistan gradually winds down, it is important to reflect on the hardships and sacrifices made in the name of our country. While politics continue to debate whether commitment was right or wrong, it is undeniable that the military, and military families in particular, has shoulder much of the burden. Through physical and emotional turmoil, servicemembers and their families experienced circumstances and intermixing emotions which most of us will never truly feel, let alone understand. How can we as a country repay such service? How can we give service families the due they deserve and the respect they have earned?

For some veterans, this "due" and this "respect" has come in the form of a deportation notice. In a country built and populated by immigrants, it is not surprising that non-citizens, but legal residents all the same, comprise a certain percentage of the country's armed forces. What is surprising is that the same veterans who have done their duty to the country are some of the individuals being deported out of the country. Is this the kind of message we as a country wants to send? Serve the country and get kicked out? For most, this seeming contradiction is unfortunate. However, for those who are experiencing first-hand such treatment, this contradiction is life-changing to say the least. While it might be the case that such particular deportations result because of criminal offenses, does the punishment fit the crime?

Should military service be awarded by citizenship? Should military service be awarded by a get out of jail free card? The answers to these questions are debateable and while there are arguments on both sides, is it not true that military service should at least be rewarded with fair play? If someone on the street commits a crime, they are innocent until proven guilty. They deserve and, normally, receive due process and have certain unalienable rights. The same should apply to individuals who join the military with legal immigration status and who later commit crimes unrelated to their military service. It is the case that legal residents can be deported if they have committed a serious criminal offense, but only after trial. Veterans found in the same position should receive this treatment and, perhaps, even more.

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