Officials from Immigration Services Office within the Department of Homeland Security visited Naval Technical Training Center (NTTC) at Naval Air Station Meridian Thursday to swear in the Navy’s newest citizens of the United States.

    Prior to the ceremony, Naval Technical Training Center Meridian’s Commanding Officer Cmdr. Robert T. Stockton asked the young sailors what this day meant for them. They were excited and nervous, but all expressed the same sentiment, a great sense of pride in being a part of the greatest nation on earth, filled with freedom and opportunity.

    Stanley Crockett, director of Immigration Services at the New Orleans Field Office, administered the oath of citizenship to Logistics Specialist Seaman Charline Medjiogue Donovan and Logistics Specialist Seaman Glady Gaelle Quiboyo, both born in Cameroon; Personnel Specialist Seaman Recruit Carla Jan Levy born in Jamaica; Personnel Specialist Seaman Ephraim Adona Espinocilla and Logistics Specialist Seaman Jenel DeLeon, both born in the Philippines; and Logistics Specialist Seaman Apprentice Branden Wai Key Pang born in Malaysia.

    Becoming a United States citizen is a long and difficult journey for these sailors, but Seaman Donovan’s path is noteworthy.  

    Donovan came from an impoverished nation, and has 55 siblings. Only the boys of the family were fortunate enough to receive an education. Her mother, knowing that education was the key to break the cycle of poverty, sold vegetables at a local market to pay for her education. As Donovan’s knowledge of the world expanded, she looked to the United States as the land of opportunity. She came to the United States in 2012, first working at a Wal-Mart, and then joining the Navy.  

    When asked why she enlisted in the Navy, she responded, “I wanted to be a part of something special, and the United States Navy is the greatest Navy in the world.”  

    In just a short time, she graduated basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill., became a logistics specialist at NTTC Meridian, and earned her citizenship.

    “Today is the greatest day of my life,” Donovan said.

    Naval Technical Training Center Meridian is a training command comprised of military training instructors, DoD civilians and contract personnel responsible for providing technical training in the administrative and logistics ratings to more than 2,600 Sailors annually.