Immigrant’s dreams become reality on Big John - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

Immigrant’s dreams become reality on Big John

Machinist’s Mate Fireman Atif Omar is now proud to be an American citizen. It was something he’d dreamed of for most of his life — but doubted could ever happen.

That dream became a reality Friday in the hanger bay of the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy, one day after the ship arrived in Boston for its final port visit.

In a large ceremony, 298 immigrants — seven of them Kennedy sailors — took the oath of citizenship. In addition to a judge, the ceremony was also presided over by Sen. Edward Kennedy, brother of the ship’s namesake.

“This is extremely important to me,” Omar said. “I’m half Egyptian and half Sudanese and was raised in Saudi Arabia, so that pretty much makes me from all over the Middle East.”

Early in life, while other boys played with cars, he played with ships — anything that had to do with life at sea interested.

“When I was 10 or 11, I was watching CNN with my father and I saw this huge ship heading into port somewhere in America,” he said. “I asked my father what it was and he told me it was the American aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy and explained what a carrier did — I was amazed.”

Still, the idea that he might someday serve onboard JFK — or any aircraft carrier, for that matter — never entered his mind.

“It just wasn’t an option,” he said. “It took my family long time to get to the United States. Beyond that, we just didn’t know anything that might be possible.”

But on Sept. 11, 2001 all that changed — almost. Omar and his family had finally gotten their clearance to immigrate to America and boarded an aircraft for the states.

“We were 30 minutes out of New York and were turned around and sent back to Ireland,” he said. “The pilot only told us we were low on fuel and had to turn around — we found out later how close we got … the attacks had happened. No aircraft were being allowed in and would be shot down if they tried.”

His family spent the next five days in Switzerland. On Sept. 17, they came to the United States.

Once here, he found out that he could join the military, and chose to enlist in the Navy.

“My father was behind it all the way,” he said. “But it took me a while to convince my mother that it was a good idea.

“But now, I’m an American and very proud of that, I have the American way of life open to me and the ability to exercise that.”

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Video:

The JFK in Boston

Video:

A reporter’s daily reports from the ship’s final cruise.

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