8.       US Army Halts Program that Accelerates Naturalization for Medical Personnel

A recent article in the New York Times reported on the discontinuation of the Defense Department’s Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) pilot program.  Under the program, up to 1,000 foreign nationals without permanent resident status could join the US Army or other armed forced sectors per year if they had necessary medical or foreign language and cultural expertise. The pilot program provided successful applicants with a way to accelerate naturalization.

Army officials said it had to stop accepting applications for the program because the Pentagon had not completed a review required to keep the program running.

Over 1,000 immigrants enlisted in the various armed forces sectors through the program, and over 14,000 more immigrants have contacted Army recruiters to see if they qualify for the program.  Recruiting officials say the armed forces attracted a large number of unusually qualified candidates, including doctors, dentists and native speakers of Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, Korean and other languages from strategic regions where United States armed forces are currently stationed.

The program was originally set to end at the end of 2009.  When the Army filled all of its 890 slots, the program was extended through February.  The Army was granted an additional 120 slots, but those were filled by mid-January. 

To date, 129 recruits have become US citizens as a result of the MAVNI program. As of publication, the Army web site is telling applicants that the program is still on a temporary hold and is requesting information from potential applicants.