Sept. 17 is Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and a Houston veterans’ organization is using the occasion to mark the day with actual work. Combined Arms, a Houston-based nonprofit, has rolled out two initiatives aimed at boosting civic engagement among veterans, with a particular focus on new citizens and people getting ready for their citizenship exams.
The Civic After Service initiative pushes veterans to keep serving their country after they take off their uniforms. Khalil Yarzada, SIV (Special Immigrant Visa) & Allies Program Manager for Combined Arms, framed the goal in plain terms: participating in the decision-making process by registering to vote.
“The privilege of being able to vote, you only will understand it when you don’t have that privilege,” Yarzada said. “And I’m talking about those veterans who are not citizens yet, and they’re probably craving to do that.”
Military Service as a Path to Citizenship
Serving in the U.S. military has traditionally offered an expedited route to U.S. citizenship. That process has slowed under the President Donald Trump’s second term. Yarzada pointed to history to show how much has changed.
More than 800,000 foreign nationals have naturalized through military service since World War I, according to Combined Arms. About 82% of foreign-born veterans have already become citizens, while some veterans are still working toward that status.
“Right now, approximately 50,000 active-duty service members are not yet citizens,” Yarzada said. “That means they defend the right to vote without being able to cast one themselves. They carry the full weight of service without the full rights of citizenship.”
The initiative also targets native-born U.S. veterans who aren’t voting. Yarzada said they are not probably voting for whatever reason — maybe they’re discouraged — and the effort is trying to educate and encourage them that not voting is not really the answer to the problem. The goal is to get veterans engaged in the decision-making process, whether they’re citizens or not.
Voter Registration Workshops
Beyond helping veterans register to vote, Civic After Service works with veterans already registered to make sure their addresses are up to date on the voter rolls so they can cast their ballots. The program also holds workshops where volunteers talk about the importance of the ballot boxes and how this is really a turning point.
“We also hold workshops where we can talk to them about the importance of the ballot boxes, and how this is really a turning point, and trying to build that trust if there is a lack of it, to see them appearing and hopefully eventually being able to vote,” Yarzada said.
The workshops aim to build trust where it has been missing, and the hope is that veterans who show up will eventually vote. The program uses volunteers to teach about the ballot boxes and the importance of voting, with the goal of encouraging attendance at polling places.
Pairing Volunteers With New Arrivals
Combined Arms is also launching another initiative in cooperation with the nonprofit Welcome.US, as well as other veterans’ and faith-based organizations. The goal is to pair volunteers with recent arrivals to help them prepare for their citizenship exams.
Nazanin Ash, Welcome.US’ cofounder, said the organization’s Citizen Guide initiative, also launching today, is already proving a success.
“We’ve already met our goals for the year, and this is our latest volunteer initiative,” Ash said. “It comes on top of the 3 million Americans who have already joined our volunteer movement who have helped welcome over 800,000 newcomers in 26,000 zip codes across all 50 states.”
The partnership brings together veterans, faith groups and newcomer support networks to help people navigate the citizenship process. The volunteers work directly with new arrivals, helping them prepare for their exams.
The Numbers Behind the Effort
The initiatives draw on real figures. Here is what Combined Arms has reported:
- More than 800,000 foreign nationals have naturalized through military service since World War I
- About 82% of foreign-born veterans have already become citizens
- Some veterans are still working toward citizenship
- 3 million Americans have joined Welcome.US’ volunteer movement
- Over 800,000 newcomers have been welcomed in 26,000 zip codes across all 50 states
These numbers show the scale of the challenge. Veterans are still on the citizenship path, and the initiative is asking them to complete it. The volunteer movement has already helped welcome over 800,000 newcomers across 26,000 zip codes in all 50 states.
Why This Matters on Constitution Day
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day are meant to honor both the founding document and the act of becoming American. Combined Arms is doing more than marking the day — it is using the occasion to put veterans to work.
The Civic After Service initiative asks veterans to keep serving their country by showing up at the polls. The Citizen Guide initiative pairs volunteers with new arrivals to help them pass their citizenship exams. Both efforts treat citizenship as a shared responsibility rather than a spectator sport.
Yarzada’s point about the privilege of voting is the core of the project. Veterans who served abroad often return to a country they helped defend but cannot fully participate in. That gap is the engine behind the initiatives.
What We Make of It
This is a small but meaningful move. Combined Arms is taking two holidays and turning them into a call to action. The organization is asking veterans to register to vote, update their addresses, attend workshops, and mentor new arrivals.
The numbers from Welcome.US show the scale of the existing effort. Three million Americans have joined the volunteer movement, helping welcome over 800,000 newcomers across the country. That participation is the foundation the new initiatives are built on.
The initiatives also address a real gap. Some veterans are still working toward citizenship, and the initiative is asking them to complete it. The work starts today, and the veterans involved are doing the real labor.
The privilege of voting is something you only understand when you lose it, Yarzada said. For the veterans still on the citizenship path, that moment has already arrived. For the rest, the initiative offers a chance to reclaim it.
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