American Smirnoff : Grand Forks Airman becomes U.S. citizen

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Luis Loza Gutierrez
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  The population of U.S. citizens and Smirnoffs in North Dakota recently increased by one.
 
Airman 1st Class Nikolay Vlasov, a budget analyst from the 319th Comptroller Squadron, became a United States citizen during a naturalization ceremony Aug. 30 at the Quentin N. Burdick U.S. Courthouse in Fargo, N.D.

The young graduate from Roseville High School in Roseville, Minn., recalled his feelings prior to the event.

"Even though I never felt that the Air Force treated me differently because of my national origin I have to admit it did feel a bit strange because I didn't share the same status as those for whom I had sworn to put my life on the line," said Vlasov. "I knew that becoming a citizen was the right thing to do if I wanted to change that."

The strangeness disappeared for the junior enlisted young man soon after the momentous occasion.

"It's such an honor to become a citizen of this great country. Now I can truly say that I'm an American Airman," said Vlasov, who showed his excitement by doing a little fist pumping and high-fiving the federal court judge who presided over the ceremony.

"I couldn't help it, I was just so ... proud," said Vlasov, who was accompanied by his mother and other members of his unit.

"It's moments such as this one that make you understand the concept of what is meant when people refer to their unit as an Air Force family," said Vlasov. "I didn't think so many of them would take the time to make the long trip and show their support, but they did and for that I am very grateful."

Citizenship status wasn't the only thing that changed for the 20-year old immigrant from Yekaterinburg, Russia; he changed his name as well.

"Prior to me becoming a citizen, my first name ended with a y, which caused people to mispronounce the last three letter of my first name as 'lay.' It was very annoying and that's why I changed it to Nikolai (Nee-col-eye)," he said. "So far it seems to be working."

The changes to Vlasov's identity didn't stop with his first name. He went further by changing his last name to Smirnoff.

Smirnoff is Vlasov's maternal grandmother's last name. He said his mother was a single parent who depended on his grandmother to help raise him while she worked in Russia.

He said his relationship with his grandmother grew stronger around the age of 10 when his mother left Russia in order to work as a microbiologist at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. After a year of settling in the United States, his mother returned for him and he bid farewell to his beloved grandmother in order to begin his new life in America.

Smirnoff's grandmother still lives in Yekaterinburg and his connection to her has survived despite the time and distance.

"I learned a lot of things from my babushka (grandmother). She is one the biggest influences in my life. She was very wise and helped me become the person I am today," said Smirnoff. "I felt that changing my last name to Smirnoff was the perfect opportunity to pay tribute to her. The fact that my name is the same as the popular vodka brand is just a coincidence."