An Airman comes home: From homelessness to the American Dream

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jaiyah Lewis
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  

Where someone begins in life doesn't always determine where they will go. For one Airman, a childhood marked by hardship became the foundation for strength, and ultimately, led him from homelessness to military service and U.S. citizenship.

An Airman’s journey normally starts long before they put on the uniform. For U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Tykhon Rudenok, 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron heating, ventilation, and air conditioning apprentice, his journey began in Ukraine, where, as a young boy, he watched his mother work four jobs to keep their family afloat. Years later, that same boy would take the oath of enlistment, become part of the 2nd Bomb Wing team, and, most recently, raise his right hand to become an American citizen.

“Growing up in Ukraine, my mom had four jobs because the economy in Ukraine is really hard to survive on one job,” said Rudenok. “Seeing my mom work showed me that it's important to grind and be financially stable.”

At 8 years old, Rudenok and his mother left Ukraine and moved to the United States after his mother got married. When the marriage ended, Rudenok and his mother became homeless and moved into a shelter. Soon after, Rudenok began school, an experience unlike anything he had known before. In Ukraine, he said that school felt like survival. Every time the bell rang, fights would break out, and students would run to hide in the bathrooms.

In contrast, Rudenok felt safe in the classrooms in America. He was able to focus on learning and being a kid without a state of worry. As a student in a new environment, Rudenok found a source of stability through his fourth-grade English teacher, Mr. Bette, who became his mentor.

“Mr. Bette meant a lot to me at that young age, since he was my role model because of the way he carried himself,” said Rudenok. “His office was kind of like my safe space. He taught me English and made me really love the language and culture.”

Years later, Rudenok and his mother moved out of the shelter when she married his stepfather, Allen. Rudenok and his mother lived together with Allen and his two half-brothers, Jack and Eric. The second time Rudenok was homeless, he was 13. The stability and encouragement he found in school stood in sharp contrast to the uncertainty at home, where life would soon shift once again.

“Some time went by, and he [Allen] lost his job, so we ended up homeless a second time,” said Rudenok. “We were living in a tiny room with two bunk beds and a big window that you really couldn’t see out of because it was painted white. There were sounds of couples fighting and banging on the walls, and kids crying. It was a very hectic place.”

Starting high school, Rudenok was determined to make a better future for himself and continued looking for direction. His efforts landed him in his school’s Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program. 

“In high school, I was just doing a bunch of stuff because I was really trying to find myself,” said Rudenok. “I joined Junior ROTC my senior year, and I was a part of the drill team and honor guard. It grew on me and made me fall in love with military things; I just had fun.”

After graduating high school, Rudenok took a job at McDonald’s to help support himself and fell into a monotonous routine that left little room for growth.

“My life after high school was just wake up, work at McDonald’s, go home, sleep and repeat,” said Rudenok.

Rudenok often expressed his dislike for his repetitive routine to Allen, so he suggested that Rudenok consider enlisting. Soon after, Rudenok happened to meet an Air Force recruiter at a McDonald’s drive-thru. His decision to serve was shaped by his experience in Junior ROTC, his stepfather’s Air Force service, and that chance encounter with the recruiter.

“I’m glad I listened to them,” said Rudenok. “The Air Force was definitely the way to go.”

Without citizenship, however, Rudenok faced limitations within his career field at Barksdale. His clearance level would not allow him to participate in certain temporary duty assignments or various work orders.

“Since I wasn’t an American citizen, there was some stuff I couldn’t do, so I had to give it to my coworkers,” said Rudenok. “I put more strain on their work schedule, and it made me feel really bad.”

The 37th Training Wing did not implement the Basic Military Training naturalization process until April 2023. By that time, Rudenok was already in the later weeks of training, making him ineligible to begin the streamlined process and leaving him to wait and continue navigating the limitations of serving without citizenship.

What could have been a quick process stretched into years of patience and persistence. Becoming a U.S. citizen was always more than just a title for Rudenok; it symbolized stability, opportunity and belonging. On July 15, 2025, after determination and perseverance carried him through the delays, he finally reached that goal at his naturalization ceremony.

“It felt real when I saw my certificate in my hand with the stamp and the writing,” said Rudenok.  “It feels like God gave me his blessing when they told me I’m an American citizen because it’s such an honor. Reflecting back on it, it was one of the best moments of my life.”

Citizenship reminded Rudenok of everything he had endured and how it had strengthened his belief in giving back through service. Wearing the uniform is more than a career; it is a way to honor the opportunities he found in America.

“Service is paying back the United States of America for what it has given me,” said Rudenok. “Opportunities that Ukraine did not really give me.”

For Rudenok, earning his citizenship was more than a personal milestone. He reflected on the resilience and determination that carried him toward a better life, calling the moment a turning point that deepened his sense of duty to the nation he now calls home. To him, America remains a land of opportunity where hard work can turn any goal into reality.