St. Pete Coast Guard Seaman Becomes U.S. Citizen

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- As a young boy, he played on the beaches in Trinidad and Tobago.

Now he’s helping to protect the children who play on the beaches of Pinellas County.

Seaman Kenwyn Berkeley, a crew member aboard Coast Guard Cutter Resolute, a 210-foot medium-endurance Reliance class cutter homeported in St. Petersburg, took the Oath of Allegiance to become a United States citizen during a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services naturalization ceremony June 29.

"It feels amazing to finally get to this point in the process," said Berkeley. "It wasn't an easy road but I'm feeling overall pure happiness to be a citizen, to serve and to be closer to the goal of providing a better life for my son."

Berkeley was sworn in during a shipboard ceremony.

"Hosting a naturalization ceremony is a very special event, especially within the department for one of our own," said Lt. j.g. Jonathan Dietrich, a crew member aboard the Resolute and deck department supervisor. "We have seen the work that Berkeley has put in and are proud to welcome him as a U.S. citizen. Having the ceremony aboard the cutter is also significant as he commits himself to serve his new nation. Berkeley is considered family not only with the crew, but particularly within his department."

Berkeley enlisted in the Coast Guard in 2016.

"I've always had intentions of joining a military service for the experience and to develop myself," said Berkeley.

He said he knew the Coast Guard was the right choice for him after he spoke to one of the service's veterans.

"He shared life experiences, talked about all the traveling, the training and how it shaped his life in so many good ways -- just his experiences alone made it an easy choice for me," said Berkeley.

The crew aboard the Resolute also benefits from having Berkeley aboard because it allows them to be more culturally aware of what someone has to go through to become a citizen.

"This is an opportunity for our crew to witness a shipmate make a full and conscious effort to assimilate into our country and to fulfill the oath he swore to the people of this nation," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Seth Pritt, crew member aboard the Resolute and one of Berkeley's supervisors. "We are proud of the hard work and determination it took for this accomplishment and we congratulate him on becoming a full-fledged United States citizen."

Berkeley intends to make the Coast Guard a 20-year career. But he has some short-term goals as well. He plans to attend avionics electrical technician A-school in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, in the near future.

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Michael De Nyse

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