Final answer:
An immigrant alien with an I-151 Alien Registration Receipt Card is eligible for Navy enlistment or reenlistment after having been a lawful permanent resident in the U.S. for at least five years. Naturalization laws were eased for military service members with a 2002 law enabling them to expedite their path to U.S. citizenship.
Step-by-step explanation:
An immigrant alien who has been lawfully admitted into the U.S. and holds an I-151 Alien Registration Receipt Card may be eligible for enlistment or reenlistment in the Navy without applying for U.S. citizenship. To enlist, one must be at least 18 years of age, be a lawful permanent resident, have resided in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for at least five years, be physically present in the U.S. for at least 30 months, be of good moral character, and possess the ability to read, write, and understand English. Naturalization laws previously required a 14-year residency but now require five years, which remains constant for civilian naturalization. However, service in the military has led to easier pathways for permanent residents to become naturalized U.S. citizens. Due to a 2002 law regarding citizenship for soldiers, the naturalization process for servicemembers has been simplified and accelerated, showing a measure of bipartisan support for the policy.