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The road to America

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Fabio Castellanos
  • 27th Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  I have come a long way to get here and write to you. Though my story began in Colombia 22 years ago, today, I'm an American citizen serving in the U.S. Air Force as a structures troop in the 27th Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.

My oldest memories are colorful flashes of laughter and being worry free. My dad is a civil engineer and my mom is a dentist. Because of their career choices our family had everything anyone could ever ask for. I remember my parents always tried to help others; they believed they could make Colombia a better place for our future. My mom organized health brigades to offer medical relief to those who couldn't afforded and my dad built houses for those less fortunate.

It was in the midst my teen years that the actions of a small group of rebels, with a twisted sense of patriotism, known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, inspired by the love of power and money, decided to harm my family's peace of mind and physical security.

It is ironic that my parent's professional success was, in a way, the cause of our pain. The FARC wanted what we had and they were willing to do anything to get it.

All of a sudden, those flashes of laughter became nightmares. The FARC made failed attempts to kidnap my sister and I after school one day and my mom had a violent encounter with them during one of her health brigades. We felt the danger at all times and couldn't sleep or go outside without private security. I saw more weapons and violence as a child in Colombia than I have seen as an adult during my military career.

One day, my mom was told that my father had been abducted by this same group of terrorists. The details of his abduction and release were kept secret to the younger members of our family in a failed attempt to hide the horrifying situation from us. What happened during this time is still a mystery to us and is never brought up in our family. We have never talked about it and I honestly think we never will.

After my father's release we had no other choice than to emigrate from my homeland, Colombia, to the United States. The U.S. government offered my dad protection and we were all granted political asylum. In a matter of hours, we left behind everything my parents had worked for during that lifetime - our house, our cars, our idea of a better country, friends and family. We had to learn a new language and to live by the standards of a new culture. It was hard, but it was all worth it.

On Feb. 8, 2013, I became a US. Citizen and it feels like the wounds made by others were healed by this honor. Today, all my family members are U.S. citizens.

Before, I used to think that my family had everything anyone could ask for, but now I know I was wrong. We had many things in Colombia, but we didn't have real freedom to enjoy them.

It is this principle of freedom that prompted me to join the Air Force and I'm willing to fight for it.

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