May 25, 2021

'A moment of reflection'

By The American Legion
Podcast

American Legion member Marlon Smith tells the Tango Alpha Lima podcast about how 9/11 led to his U.S. citizenship, military service and commitment to volunteering.

The events of Sept. 11, 2001, inspired Marlon Smith to seek his U.S. citizenship and later join the military.

“The way I processed it was, ‘What am I doing with my life,?” he asks rhetorically. “I didn’t really feel like I was contributing the way I wanted to. And also being in this country, as a legal alien since I was 6, I started the legal process.”

Smith, who immigrated to the U.S. with his parents, shares his story on The American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast this week. “It was really powerful for me; I just felt pumped,” he said, recalling his citizenship ceremony in 2003.

As a naturalized citizen he quickly realized that “I want to give back to a country that has given me so much.”

In the past 18 years, Smith has served in the military and fire service. A Coast Guard veteran and now an Air Force reservist, he is also a firefighter. “I am thankful every day for the opportunity to continue serve,” he said. 

After his deployment in 2011, Smith became a member of American Legion Post 184 in Georgia. Initially, he wasn’t sure if the organization would be a good fit for him but he decided to check it out.

“I would volunteer there,” he recalled, saying he enjoyed talking with Korean and Vietnam War veterans. “It was helping my mental health, post-deployment. I needed to stay busy. And if I felt like I was engaging with other vets, I was getting something out of it. I didn’t realize how active the Legion was.”

Note: The American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast will launch a special series of 20 episodes to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Starting in mid-August, tune in for a new episode each weekday through Sept. 10.

Each episode of Tango Alpha Lima is released by 9 a.m. Eastern each Tuesday. To make sure you get access to each episode when published subscribe via iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and other podcast-hosting sites. You can also subscribe to the Tango Alpha Lima newsletter, which contains links to new episodes. Subscribe here: legion.org/tangoalphalima.

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