Military Members Take Citizenship Oath on Mount Rainier

As deer wandered by in the meadows above and the glaciated peak of Mount Rainier towered overhead, 17 men and women stood to take an oath, then sat down, officially American citizens.

The new Americans, all members of the military, came from 12 countries, and they were the third group of citizens to be naturalized in the national park.

“That was the greatest thing I’ve ever done,” said Private Second Class Kabutey Emmanuel Ayiku. 

The native of Ghana joined the Army in September of last year, and he currently serves at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

“I couldn’t wait to become a citizen,” he said. “It was so exciting for me. In the field, I was telling everyone, ‘Tomorrow I’m becoming an American citizen.’ They were happy for me. I love my unit, and I think they love me too.”

The naturalization tradition started three years ago, on the 100th anniversary of the National Park System. Park officials are excited to keep it going.

“There’s nothing more inspiring than having people take their oath here under the mountain’s majesty,” said Tracy Swartout, the park’s deputy superintendent.

Swartout gave the event’s keynote speech, comparing the long journey to citizenship to the one climbers face when they try to summit Rainier. The ceremony started with a rendition of the national anthem sung by NPS employee Becky Rowe, who’s usually high up the mountain doing backcountry maintenance at Camp Muir. Passing hikers stopped and placed their hands over their hearts as she sang the anthem.

Rowe said she welcomed the change of pace from her normal duties. 

“It’s really cool to do something for all these people,” she said. “Sometimes I get a little flustered, but then I really concentrate on what it actually means and how important it is to them.”

The official oath of allegiance was administered by Anne Corsano, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services District 20. The candidates pledged their loyalty to the United States and its Constitution.

“In becoming citizens today, our great parks like this one belong to you,” Corsano told the soldiers.

Following the ceremony, she said the event was a major highlight.

“This is the best part of my job,” she said. “They have had some amazing journeys.”

Private First Class Verdi Kabwebwe Bwabwa, who came to the U.S. in 2011, has served in the Army for a year and a half. He’s been eager to earn his citizenship.

“It was a long time of just waiting, waiting, waiting,” said Bwabwa who is from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “Two months ago, I got the mail. ‘You got scheduled for it at this time in this location.’ Here I am, and everything just happened. … It felt pretty good. It was a long wait.”

Bwabwa, who also serves at JBLM, said he came to the U.S. knowing only what he’d seen in movies, and he had to learn you don’t just find money in the street. Still, he said, “there is opportunity for everybody.” As the event was his first visit to the national park, he planned to go for a hike to celebrate his citizenship.

Mount Rainier National Park Superintendent Chip Jenkins was also in attendance at the ceremony. 

“Mount Rainier is an icon of the Pacific Northwest,” he said after the event. “It’s an icon of our country. That definition of an icon is deeply personal to people. Here we have folks who wanted to come to this spectacular landscape because it’s a defining moment in their life.”

Jenkins added that the event is also meant to be a signal that the parks are inclusive places. 

“Part of the reason we do this is because we want all Americans to understand that regardless of where you come from, that you are welcome in these places,” he said. “You’re welcome to all of the national parks.”

Following the oath, Swartout reminded the new citizens of just one of the privileges of their status.

“You came up the mountain today and through those historic park gates as a candidate. When you leave through those same gates this afternoon, you leave as a citizen,” she said. “The parks belong to us, and today they belong to you.”