U.S. to open military to temporary immigrants

By Gideon Swift | Published: February 15, 2009

The U.S. military will begin recruiting immigrants with special skills who are in the United States on temporary visas, offering a chance to become citizens in as little as six months, The New York Times reported.

A report on the newspaper’s website on Saturday said it would be the first time since the Vietnam War that the armed forces would be open to temporary immigrants, provided they have lived in the United States for at least two years.

Immigrants with permanent resident status, or “green cards,” are eligible to enlist in the U.S. military.

A Pentagon spokesman said he knew of the program but had no details.