Standing before an audience of proud family and friends beneath the Shrine of Democracy, 33 people from 24 countries became the newest American citizens in Pennington County on Thursday.

"It feels great," Airman 1st Class Luciano Amaza said after taking the oath of citizenship on the viewing terrace at Mount Rushmore National Memorial during naturalization ceremonies.

Wearing their Air Force dress blues, Amaza and four other airmen from Ellsworth Air Force Base swore to renounce allegiances to the governments of their homelands and promised to uphold the constitution and laws of the United States of America.

Amaza, a native of Chile, joined the U.S. Air Force a year and a half ago. Immigrants with permanent resident status are eligible to serve in the U.S. military, but to continue their careers past the initial enlistment period, they must become naturalized U.S. citizens.

Like Amaza, Airmen Tarun John, Ronald Fallarna, Sanaka Patrick and Vinicius Santana, all serving in the 28th Bomb Wing, expedited their citizenship by joining the military.

The citizenship process for active duty military members usually takes from six months to more than a year to complete. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service reviews applications and schedules the applicant for an interview and civics test.

Airman 1st Class Fallarna, assigned to the Air Force Financial Services Center at Ellsworth, said he will always be proud of his native Philippines, but becoming a citizen is right for him.

"Joining the Air Force gave me the opportunity to become a citizen much faster," he said, "and the opportunities in this country are better than anywhere in the world, and I can help my family more by being here."

Each of the 33 applicants passed a civics test, and U.S. District Court Chief Judge Karen Schreier challenged them all to put those lessons into practice immediately by registering to vote as soon as the naturalization ceremony was over. Pennington County Auditor Julie Pearson was on hand to make that task as easy as possible at a reception in their honor after the event.

Yanga Allison, a Liberian woman who entered the U.S. through a refugee camp several years ago, was thrilled to finally become a citizen Thursday.

"It's great. It feels wonderful," Allison said, surrounded by her mother from Liberia and her large, extended foster family in Rapid City, the Schwiesows.

Qusi Al-Haj, the West River regional director for Sen. John Thune, was also on hand to congratulate his brother, Bahir Al-Haj, on his new citizenship. Bahir Al-Haj is a Palestinian who was born in Saudi Arabia.

Another immigrant to America who grew up in the harsh conditions of a Palestinian refugee camp in the Gaza Strip addressed the new citizens. Hani Shafi, the owner of an engineering firm in Rapid City, told them that his story of struggle and success in America is not unlike many of theirs. Shafi urged them to contribute to their new country and communities through volunteerism, voting and voicing their opinions.

"Don't think politicians know it all; they really don't," Shafi said. "By voting, you have the right to complain. If you don't vote, you don't have the right to complain."

Black Hills Blend, a barbershop quartet from the Shrine of Democracy Chorus, provided the songs, and Mount Rushmore Superintendent Gerard Baker led the audience in a moment of silent prayer for those serving in the military. He also quoted Theodore Roosevelt, one of the presidents carved in stone above, in asking the new citizens not be "mere passengers" in their new nation, and he urged them to see as much of their new country as possible and visit its national parks, too.

"Keep your language and your culture, but embrace America fully, too," Baker said, acknowledging the ethnic diversity represented by the 24 different homelands seated before him. "Teach your children who 'we' are."

Contact Mary Garrigan at 394-8424 or mary.garrigan@rapidcityjournal.com