WASHINGTON (CMC):

Jamaican nationals constitute the highest number of immigrants from the English-speaking Caribbean who are members of the United States armed forces, according to figures released there.

The Washington-based Migration Policy Institute said there were 3,064 Jamaicans serving in the United States army.

The institute gave no figures for other Caribbean countries, but said that Caribbean and Latin American nationals comprise 38.7 per cent, or 23,926 troops, now serving actively in the US military.

The countries of Asia provide 35.9 per cent, or 22,226, of the troops.

According to data from the Department of Defence, more than 65,000 immigrants, including non-American citizens and naturalised citizens, were serving on active duty in the US armed forces as at February 2008.

Foreign-born personnel

The department said more than two-thirds of the troops are naturalised US citizens. The figures showed that of all military branches, the navy, with eight per cent, has the highest number of foreign-born personnel.

It said since September 2001, US Citizenship and Immigration Services has naturalised more than 37,250 foreign-born members of the US military and granted posthumous citizenship to 111 service members.

The department did not identify the number of Caribbean nationals who have obtained US citizenship.