Updated Military Naturalization Statistics

USCIS spokesperson, Chris Rhatigan, read yesterday's blog post on military naturalizations and has kindly provided the most recent fact sheet on military naturalization statistics. (Thanks, Chris!) Here's a look at the updated numbers.

Statistics through Fiscal Year 2008 (September 2008)

• USCIS has naturalized 42,981 members of the U.S. armed forces since the beginning of the War on Terrorism (September 2001) – 37,193 in the United States and 5,788 in ceremonies overseas.
  
  
• In fiscal year 2008, USCIS naturalized 7,854 members of the military, 6,345 of those were naturalized in the United States and 1,509 of those were naturalized overseas.
  
  
• In May 2008, USCIS conducted the first overseas naturalization ceremony that included a military spouse. During that time and since, 18 military spouses have become naturalized citizens during ceremonies in Germany, Italy, South Korea, and Japan.
  
  
• USCIS has granted posthumous citizenship to 118 members of the U.S. armed forces stemming from the War on Terrorism.
  
  
• Historically, the U.S. government has conducted overseas military naturalization ceremonies during times of war. During World War II, 20,011 service members were naturalized overseas. During the Korean War, 7,756 service members were naturalized overseas. Although authorized, no overseas military naturalization ceremonies were held during the Vietnam War.

For more information about military naturalizations including a breakdown of domestic and overseas military naturalizations by fiscal year, please refer to the USCIS Fact Sheet: Naturalization Process for the Military.