Non-US citizens serving in the military

Below is part of a Navy message that talks about expediting the process for non-US citizens to receive citizenship. Apparently you don’t have to be a citizen to serve in the US military and any non-American citizen serving in the US Armed Forces is eligible to bypass much of the citizenship process.

RMKS/1. THIS NAVADMIN HIGHLIGHTS THE UNITED STATES
CITIZENSHIP PROGRAM FOR NAVY MEMBERS. REFS A AND B PROVIDE
FOR THE EXPEDITED NATURALIZATION OF SERVICE MEMBERS
HONORABLY SERVING IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.
ANY SERVICE MEMBER WHO HAS SERVED HONORABLY IN THE UNITED
STATES ARMED FORCES DURING PERIODS OF MILITARY HOSTILITIES,
INCLUDING PERIODS DESIGNATED BY THE PRESIDENT IN AN
EXECUTIVE ORDER, ARE ELIGIBLE FOR EXPEDITED NATURALIZATION.
2. REF C CURRENTLY WAIVES THE ONE YEAR WAITING PERIOD IN
REF A AND PROVIDES THAT NON U.S. CITIZENS HONORABLY SERVING
IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES ON OR AFTER 11 SEPTEMBER
2001, ARE ELIGIBLE FOR A WAIVER OF THE ENTIRE WAITING PERIOD
AND ARE ELIGIBLE FOR EXPEDITED CITIZENSHIP. LEGAL PERMANENT
RESIDENT STATUS IS REQUIRED. ALL OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR
NATURALIZATION APPLY. AS OF 1 OCTOBER 2004, THE FILING FEE
FOR SERVICE MEMBERS (CURRENTLY 675 DOLLARS FOR THOSE
STATIONED IN THE UNITED STATES) WILL BE WAIVED.

It goes on to talk about having designated command representatives to help service members apply for citizenship and how the  legal office  (JAG) is supposed to also provide assistance.

I don’t know what the policy is in other countries but it just seems wrong to have non-citizens serving in a country’s military force. Especially with the scare tactics the government has regarding illegal immigrants “invading” our country and performing terrorist acts.

So not only are non-citizens allowed to join the military but we also expedite the naturalization process. Don’t get me wrong; if the current US policy is to allow non-citizens to join the military, I think it’s only fair to give them citizenship to compensate them for risking their lives. I just have a problem with non-citizens being able to enlist. It just seems wrong for some reason.

However, given the policy as it currently is, what if we take it a step further? People have a “good hating” on illegal immigrants and people overstaying their visas. What if we put them into the military? Give them the option: be sent back to their country or serve 4 years in the military. At the end of their enlistment they get the expedited citizenship.

This is a good litmus test to see which immigrants actually care about America and attaining citizenship and which ones just want to come here for the freebies. Plus it will help with the enlistment problems the military is having. Everyone wins.