Born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal, Capt Saral K. Shrestha knew he wanted a military career from the time he was a small boy. Watching shows about the military on television, he dreamed of life as a soldier. As a young man, Shrestha’s mother urged him to pursue higher education in the United States. At age 17, he applied for a visa and left his home to study in a new land. Though Shrestha wished to serve in the U.S. military, he initially had no avenue to join without U.S. citizenship or permanent residence. That changed in 2009 when the Department of Defense introduced the
Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) program. MAVNI allows visa holders with special, highly needed skills – such as having expertise in languages that are critical to military operations – to enlist in the military and earn U.S. citizenship through their service.
Shrestha was close to completing his degree when he found out about the program, but he didn’t hesitate to sign-up. After being screened by USCIS and completing the recruitment process, he headed to Fort Benning for basic training in September 2009.”MAVNI was a blessing,” Shrestha said. “When I graduated my basic training, I had one of the USCIS personnel come onto the field with a United States flag and I took my oath.” Shrestha considers it the most special day of his life. “I realized I was part of something way bigger,” he said.
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