PURSUiNG MEdicAl cAREERS AFtER SERviNG thEiR cOUNtRy

present College of Veterinary Medicine deans ShirleyJohnston and Phillip Nelson, along with the universityattorney.He received his green card within 10 months.“I was relieved that my children will not go back toIraq. I’m afraid they would get killed,” Khamas said.“There’s no prospect in the near future that Iraq willsettle and be peaceful. There’s lots of fortune, lots ofmoney, and greedy people from around the world willcome and compete for it.”Dr. Khamas is a wonderful talent and a kind andgentle person, and the College and University arefortunate to have him as a member of the faculty, saidCollege of Veterinary Medicine Dean Phillip Nelson,DVM, PhD.“We all need to feel that we and our families are safe,if we are to give the best of ourselves at work,” Nelsonsaid. “Dr. Khamas’ U.S. citizenship was a necessarystep in allowing him to reach his full potential atWestern University of Health Sciences. For him it is avalidation that he has successfully provided for thesafety of his family. For us, it was recognized as anecessity if we ever expected him to be comfortable inthis environment, and could believe his options withthe College are indeed unfettered.”Now Khamas feels secure. He and his wife are U.S.citizens, his oldest son is married to an Americanwoman, and his daughter has always been a U.S.citizen, having been born in the U.S. during Khamas’graduate studies at Iowa State University. His twoyoungest sons will likely become citizens within ayear.“I feel very comfortable now that all my immediatefamily is here,” he said.He is also grateful for his WesternU family. Hiscolleagues in the College of Veterinary Medicinesurprised him with a citizenship celebration.“Everybody was hugging me and kissing me. Inaddition to my happiness, I see the happiness in theirfaces,” Khamas said. “The college is a small family, andthe university is a big one. I feel it so much. I amtrying to match that by working more and more.”He was sworn in as a U.S. citizen at Fairplex inPomona, along with thousands of other people, onJan. 18, 2012. He then rushed to Los Angeles to get hispassport. With U.S. citizenship, he is able to moreeasily travel overseas for conferences and otheracademic pursuits.But he has not forgotten his homeland, and neitherwill his students. He describes to them the Iraq heremembers growing up.“It’s very fertile,” he said. “Civilization started to shineon the rest of world. I give them pictures of the freeeducation they used to have, the free health care.”His students get a taste of a larger world view in hisclasses.“It takes the world millions of dollars and tens of yearsto control one disease, but you can spread that diseasein one day,” Khamas said. “Any place that has war, asa veterinarian your bigger role is to educate people,even soldiers.“We have to protect our cities. When I travel, I will bemore careful not to bring anything with me to thiscountry to jeopardize the fortune and wealth wehave,” Khamas said. “I ask my students to be vigilantwhen they travel. Think what you are dealing with,how they’re handling their animals. Think aboutdisease prevalence. Veterinarians are the best to beable to help. They know both sides -- they knowanimal diseases and the health side of human beings.”Khamas will not likely return to Iraq. He is gratefulthat he moved to the U.S. in 2003, because he mighthave been killed had he been in his homeland.“I always say I tried to save my children, but in factthey saved me,” he said.– Rodney TanakaWesternU View Summer 2012 9