# US Armed Services and Non-US Citizens **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 18, 2003, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-armed-services-and-non-us-citizens/149450 "2003-01-18T12:18:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.A.Nemo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/94ad74/32.png) [@Mr.A.Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.A.Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-armed-services-and-non-us-citizens/149450/1 "2003-01-18T12:18:49Z")
Is this possible? Can a non-US citizen but with a green card serve in the US army? I’ve heard conflicting anecdotal stories on this and the goarmy website didn’t turn up much in my quick search. Although the US Marine Corp specifically requires you to be an American Citizen. Part of what sparked this is the story about thousands of Canadians joining the US Army to fight in Vietnam. Now I don’t know if this was the US Army “looking the other way” in this case or something else. Or maybe only in times of war etc. I know the Canadian Armed Forces allows non-citizens but “landed immigrants” to serve in the Reserves but not in the Regular Force. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-armed-services-and-non-us-citizens/149450/2 "2003-01-18T12:45:48Z")
I am quite sure that it’s not even only that a resident non-citizen _can_ serve, it’s that he is obligated to register and will be drafted if the draft comes. And even non-resident aliens (people of other countries) have served in US forces. ---
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-armed-services-and-non-us-citizens/149450/3 "2003-01-18T12:52:31Z")
I might be wrong here but aren’t Phillipino’s allowed to serve in the US Navy? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-armed-services-and-non-us-citizens/149450/4 "2003-01-18T13:32:41Z")
“Filapino,” with an “F.” Anywho, non-US citizens can and do serve in the American Army with distinction. I knew dozens of 'em. I owuldn’t want to say about their grenn-card status, I never thought to ask. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-armed-services-and-non-us-citizens/149450/5 "2003-01-18T14:41:55Z")
I had a Marine in my battalion ten years back who was Haitian with a Green Card. He got all kinds of awards for being a translator when the Marines went into Haiti. Then they found out he bought his Green Card on a street corner and threw his ass out. Good Guy, other than that. Seems that is still the case today, from [their Recruiting site](http://www.marines.com/enlisted_marines/faqs.asp?format=flash) > [@](#): > > If you are a United States citizen or Resident Alien and meet other eligibility requirements, you can join the Marines. Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate for more information. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-armed-services-and-non-us-citizens/149450/6 "2003-01-18T14:51:37Z")
Filipino with both an f and an i is the correct way to spell that one. My reference is Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary. When the United States of America and the Republic of the Philippines (Republika ng Pilipinas) had a status of forces agreement, that agreement permitted a certain number of male Philippine citizens to be recruited into the US Armed Forces as non-immigrant aliens. In other words, they got to serve in our military but were not on the immigration track. After the Philippine Congress decided not to renew the SOFA, no more recruitment along that line was permitted; however, those who had already enlisted under that plan remain in service.