Sgt. Luz “Lucy” Frausto, a drill sergeant with 1/354th, 1st Brigade, 95th Training Division (IET), Tulsa, Okla., has been a Soldier since joining the Army Reserve in November 2005. But on July 16, 2009, she officially became a citizen-Soldier when she took the Oath of Allegiance to the United States during a naturalization ceremony in Kansas City, Mo.
Frausto was born in Mexico City and came to the United States in 2003 on a student visa. She worked as a translator while attending school. In 2004 her employer petitioned for Frausto’s permanent residency which was granted one year later. Frausto said she had always wanted to be in the Army and to be a drill sergeant. After her residency was established, Frausto joined the Reserve. |
Sgt. Luz A. Frausto proudly displays her certifi cate of citizenship while posing with the presiding judge, the Honorable Jerry W. Venters.
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Following graduation from lab technician training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Frausto volunteered for deployment to Iraq. She had already begun the arduous naturalization process prior to her deployment, but because the process requires the packet to be worked in the district or state the person is residing, it caused delays due to a series of relocations. By the time Frausto was in Iraq, her packet was complete and she was notified that she could participate in a ceremony in Baghdad, but was unable to get permission from her commander to travel.
Her citizenship was delayed again until she returned to the States and her paperwork had traveled back to the St. Louis office from the Rome agency where it had been processed during her deployment. And even though it had been a long ordeal, Frausto was excited to finally receive notice that her ceremony was scheduled.
Proudly wearing her ACU’s and drill sergeant hat, Frausto arrived in the packed courtroom. Prior to the ceremony, she was advised that it was customary that hats not be worn in the courtroom. “There is nothing better than training Soldiers. I worked hard for the drill sergeant hat and it is very important to me,” said Frausto. She could not imagine not being able to have the hat on during the ceremony.
Fortunately for Frausto, another person in the courtroom agreed and insisted the judge be asked about the rule. The Honorable Jerry W. Venters, bankruptcy judge, viewed the female drill sergeant as something rare and he allowed Frausto to wear her hat during the ceremony. Frausto said, “Getting naturalized with my hat onÉWow! Awesome!”
A naturalization ceremony would not be complete without the Pledge of Allegiance. Judge Venters volunteered Frausto to lead the group in the Pledge. A task she accepted with great pride. For Frausto, having already served in the Reserve for four years and working five years toward naturalization, to complete the Oath and lead the Pledge marked an historical day for her. “It was a proud moment for me,” she said. “It’s the American dream. I came to America to do exactly what I have done,” said Frausto. She said serving in the Army Reserve feels like her way of giving back to a country that has given her so many opportunities.
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