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Kenyan immigrants have been ranked first among African immigrants in the United States who are currently serving in the US military.
Latest data from the US Census Bureau shows that 0.4 percent of Kenyans in the US are serving in the army.
Ghanaians in the US come second with 0.3 percent serving in the armed forces.
The data shows that 0.1 percent of Nigerians and South Africans in America serve in the military.
While immigrants with Green Cards are eligible for recruitment to the US military, they cannot be assigned roles that need special security clearance.
These duties include intelligence, nuclear power as well as special operations.
More than 24,000 immigrants, including non-citizens and naturalized citizens, were serving on active duty in the US military in 2012, a report by the Department of Defense showed.
The process of acquiring citizenship for immigrants who join the US military and are in active duty status is faster. Equally, the process of bringing their spouses to the US is also easier, and faster.
The US Census Bureau estimates that there are currently about 140,000 Kenyans who are legally living in America.
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I 100% agree on not joining .... hata kama ni makaratasi.
@mkenya halisi, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) make most of them commit suicide. I am not boarding hapana.
Uongo!! Name those 2 friends of yours. Every story that is published by mwakilishi about a Kenyan in diaspora....you relate.
Really , this is a public forum, why do you want him to disrespect those two fellas family to satisfy your curiosity. While at it, si you tell us your full formal names, and your address....nkt! Mhalisi deserves privacy too , if you think ni uongo , that is on you!
Mucene I’m with you on this one. Let him those 2 friends. Kama umeshindwa na maisha yako STOP telling others what to do. None of your business!!
Ni uongo mnapenda.. There is no way u could join for papers... They don't recruit if u have no papers... U have to have a green card or be a citizen.
It is great that they choose to serve this great nation instead of pulling 411 frauds. Congrats our men in Uniform. Maybe we need a Kenyan chapter for them. I have a lot of respect for service men and women...it is a show of character.
God bless their souls. My friend, if your time is up, you will go. Mkenya Halisi, be thankful your time has not come. Some of us will go early, some of us late. But we must go when the big curtain falls...there is no postponing or dodging.
Well looks like you really don’t know what you talking about because you cannot join United States military without papers..Nunber one requirement before you join is a green card or citizenship so do your home work before you jump into conclusions..
I totally disagree with this insensitive comment. I am a proud Marine Auntie and my Marine did not join because of papers. He already had his papers and all he wanted to do was serve. Also, note that Americans join the military because of various incentives such as money for college. This does not diminish their love for country. And by the way, the US military, like the Kenyan one, is not for everyone. We need to commend our young people for meeting very rigorous standards to serve in the US military. I do not like the sarcasm with which you are characterizing our outstanding young men and women of the military. It is truly shameful.
I totally disagree with this insensitive comment. I am a proud Marine Auntie and my Marine did not join because of papers. He already had his papers and all he wanted to do was serve. Also, note that Americans join the military because of various incentives such as money for college. This does not diminish their love for country. And by the way, the US military, like the Kenyan one, is not for everyone. We need to commend our young people for meeting very rigorous standards to serve in the US military. I do not like the sarcasm with which you are characterizing our outstanding young men and women of the military. It is truly shameful.
I salute them.
go fight the corrupt in Kenya instead and stay in Kenya and build kenya
Am proudly serving in the US military. Better by far than being unemployed in Kenya. Those who say otherwise are the privileged kids whose parents could afford to buy jobs for them in Kenya. My parents are poor. They can't buy jobs like yours, that's why am here hustling in states. Rich kids should shut the fck up. You dont know sh*t
Military or marry a fat njungu or Miro. Pick one.
I live in Houston, Texas and married my Kenyan lady Straight up from Kenya. I and her recently (by the Greatest GRACE of GOD) welcomed a Bouncing baby boy (9.2 lbs, 21 Inches). We named him Prince MASITSA. Prince because:
1. He is very Handsome😂
2. His mother (my Wife) treats me like a King👑
3. He will be King in the KINGdom of God (God willing).🙏
What the fuc*k are you talking about?
Let the brave serve the land of the free and the home of the brave. The rest of them cowards, faint-hearted or selfish who see mortal danger in everything, every corner, every bush can go home and do other lighter duties. My job my choice. Kazi ni kazi; fanya yako nifanye yangu; tukutane bank, retirement home, Kenya, majuu ama juu.
@mucene u know about privacy n hippa in usa so i cannot name or write names here. but if u happen to come to kenya i will show u their graves or if u know kenyan communities in jersey/iowa ask around.
To be very honest, that's a suicidal decision.. let the uniform nor the superpower thing NOT lie to you, when the dsy to use you comes .. my friend, hapo ndio unajua, jua sio inchi ya mamako!
Cant talk much, respect to them, but am not boarding!!
Comments hapa zinanifurahisha tu and of course you don't know what you don't know. I am serving and I will continue serving in a country that rewards its citizens. What I am trying to say is military is not as bad as many people think. You could have served in Kenya and died in El Ade too.
No one said you should not serve after doing your due diligence, good for you, hopefully when all is said and done, you come out safi kama pamba with no PSTD and other repercussions and if you are black , hope you feel your are first class while init in the end when you come home . Just today a Democrat calledher constituency nigger nation , welll..... hope they treat you as first class citizen of USA and next time you are in Alabama or Kentucky the N word will never be used on you... dream on some of us already acknowledge our place ...
I used to think race issues in the US were horrid and then I reminded myself that in Kenya, for example, people who all appear black and similar to an outsider (our different tribes/ethnic groups)are always fighting against each other and have a history of mistrust that was there even before colonizers exploited it. My mind tells me that if two black people or two white people can afford to use ethnic differences to divide themselves, then it is even harder where the differences are more apparent, for example, between a white person and a black person or an asian and white person etc. This is a human disease that I hope will fade away, but I am not holding my breath for that to happen so I can live my life.
There are those stages we go through once in abroad. First time you land you are so happy, appreciative that you have a job,paying taxes and contributing to the society. This is perhaps a good time to get into military! As you continue pulling your happy- go-lucky attitude you begin to notice racism but you are in denial. Then it hits you again and again and again especially at work where you begin to notice the glass ceiling then it starts to sink in and continues to sink in and may start to hurt if you let it in. Then you begin to think..🤔 why does tribalism even exist?
Formerly Guest2, do some research my friend. Not only does one get PTSD from the military. It happens any where. Well about the 2nd class citizen, that is not happen to one because he or she is African. Even the African American may face the same challenges unless you are saying we should vacate US altogether. And by the way you forgot we face tribalism issues in Kenya as well? How different is that from racism?
Formerly Guest2, do some research my friend. Not only does one get PTSD from the military. It happens any where. Well about the 2nd class citizen, that is not happen to one because he or she is African. Even the African American may face the same challenges unless you are saying we should vacate US altogether. And by the way you forgot we face tribalism issues in Kenya as well? How different is that from racism?
Did I say PSTD is exclusive to military personnel? So please I will not do any research because you know very well I know it occurs in other circumstances - not that dumb. Military personnel who are in war are more at risk and that is a fact! Also being 2nd citizen = any person of color, racist cannot tell whether you are African from Africa, Caribbean , Papua new Guinea, etc , as long as you are not pure white you are black -duh,I expeience it every day just like the next black person. I will not compare tribalism and racism two different animals.
To join US defense is so down as immigrant, $2000 a month....while cleaning butt can make over $4000 thousand and enjoy vacations and off days as well.
You join military and young boy as your major insult you black monkey.
Isn't it obscene that Kenyans clueless on diaspora matters sell their misconceived perceptions online as if they are facts? The USA is hands down the greatest nation in the world. Were it not for remittances from Kenyans abroad, the same lot you envy yet 'dis' the economy would probably be in the mid 2000s levels today. Whether they serve in the army, corporate America or work as home healthcare aids, Kenyans build successful lives here and uplift relatives back home. By God's grace we may retire in Costa Rica or Hawaii just to steer clear of the 5 year political instability cycle, good luck with your uhuruto.
How I wish Kenya, our motherland, could give its citizens the best services and appreciation. How I wish corruption, selfishness, tribalism and negative politics would fade away!
In such a state, we'd all be proud of serving our country's military, and not a foreign power which could probably get into war with our motherland. If only! How I wish!
Everybody have their own experiences. I joined in 2004, went to Iraq, came back, got my education paid for, and now I have a job of my dreams. I have never regretted.
Would like to know your experience. You wouldn't mind, would you? Please tell me how it went on.
I salute you sir! Thanx for your service & God bless!
Joining the United States military is the best decision any Kenyan in US can make bar none...there is a huge delta between the comments on here and the truth. Actually, it's a no-brainer (stable monthly pay, yearly raises, full health insurance for you and family, tuition assistance, plethora of bonuses from enlistment/commissioning to language pay...yes, for speaking Swahili, Somali, Lighala...acha tu, and much more that time and space does not allow me to comment on. There are so many specialties, rifleman/woman is just a small piece of it. Anyways, to each their own, right?
Hats off for all Kenyans in the US military and also to all men & women therein. It is certainly not meant for the faint hearted or the greedy or the average human being that’s why we have all these comments here. I salute you
I have to agree with your position. Hats off to those that are serving. We don't all have the same choices.
@Reality I have witnessed men saying how stupid we are serving in this country that is not ours n fighting somebody's else war.But that does not deter me I know God is on our side .Read John 15:13 Using Other Translations. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
100% of Kenyans joining US military are guided by these words;papers or/and $$$$!!. By the way,not all military recruits are green card holders.
It is the Soldier, not the minister
Who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Soldier, not the poet
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer
Who has given us freedom to protest.
It is the Soldier, not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier, not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.
It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.
Charles M. Province, U.S. Army
all the above bulshit a side let me die poor in kenya hiyo opus ya kwenda kulipuliwa juu ya wazungu wenye hawakujui peleka kwenu
I feel sorry for them juu they have joined the army because of papers not the love of serving.I lost 2 guys who had joined because of papers n sent to iraq war n one died hapo after grenade blast n other one akakatwa miguu na mikono then he took poison later juu he couldn't stand bin disabled.Personally i won't advice folks to join thou currently hakuna war to b sent to.