Hospital Corpsman takes oath of U.S. citizenship

In a search to find something different for his life, Naval Hospital Jacksonville Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Konstantin Lukianeko left his home of Vladivostok, Russia, and moved to the United States at the age of 25. Looking for financial stability and more of an education led him to join the U.S. Navy four and half years ago.
“I was in the process of working on my citizenship, but becoming a servicemember definitely helped in my case,” he said.
Lukianeko initially entered the Navy as an undesigned Sailor and stationed on the USS Nitze (DDG 94) for two years as a deckhand when he struck the corpsman rate.
“With English being my second language, my first ASVAB score wasn’t great, but after some time spent serving, it gave me a chance to see what jobs were available to me,” Lukianeko explained.
For some the idea of taking a test to become a citizen can be quite daunting, but Lukianeko breezily said that he spent about “one week” studying for the 10-question test that is derived from 100 possible questions. The questions range from U.S. History to the U.S. government departments and the election process. Lukianeko feels a large sense of pride in this achievement.
“I feel like I’ve been working (on becoming a citizen) since 2012, so this feels amazing. I need to get my passport,” he said.
Lukianeko says his favorite part of the United States is the opportunities that exist for the people.
“I came here with a different background, and I like that I’ve been able to build a life and keep growing. There's always a chance to try something new,” he said.
While he has one year left in his current contact, Lukianeko is looking at attending X-ray technician school after his enlistment is completed.