Feb. 10, 2026 Financial Manager Bridges Cultures and Strengthens Partnerships Through LEAP Master Sgt. Michael Ortiz, Financial Management Superintendent at the 89th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md., is a shining example of how language skills and cultural awareness can significantly enhance a financial professional’s impact within the Air Force and beyond. Since 2018, Ortiz has been
Jan. 30, 2026 Forging the Future: How LEAP Scholars are Deepening the U.S.-Japan Alliance Three Language Enabled Airman Program Scholars have been selected for the highly competitive Mike Mansfield Fellowship Program. Established by Congress in 1994, the program builds a corps of U.S. federal employees with advanced Japanese proficiency and hands-on experience in Japan’s government to
Jan. 23, 2026 314 Active Duty Officers and Enlisteds Selected for Language Enabled Airman Program Following a rigorous selection board process last summer, the Air Force Culture and Language Center selected 314 Airmen and Guardians in 39 languages from 1,542 applications for the Language Enabled Airman Program. Of the 1,290 eligible applications, 153 officers and 161 enlisted were accepted,
Nov. 25, 2025 LEAP Scholars Drive Communication Success at Southern Star 2025 Twelve LEAP Scholars recently took a star turn during Southern Star 2025 in Chile, enhancing communication and understanding among U.S. forces, six participating nations, and 10 observers throughout the complex multinational exercise.
Sept. 30, 2025 10th Annual AU LREC Symposium Puts Warfighter Readiness Front and Center For the 10th anniversary of the Air University Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture Symposium, 5-7 November, the Air Force Culture and Language Center will celebrate a decade of warfighter readiness, strengthening strategic partnerships worldwide, and prioritizing interoperability by enabling
Sept. 29, 2025 LEAP Scholars partner with U.S. Army Intelligence in immersive Warrior Engaged exercise To enhance realism in its training exercises, the U.S. Army has found that utilizing Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP) Scholars delivers maximum mission impact while remaining cost effective. The recent Warrior Engaged exercise at Camp Bullis, Texas, was another example of productive
Sept. 26, 2025 Spanish LEAP Scholars sharpen the edge of joint force and allied operations Spanish isn’t just a language, it’s a cultural bridge spanning continents, histories and identities. And the tasks Spanish LEAP scholars accomplish span nations, skillsets, and military operations.
Sept. 25, 2025 Partnership in Practice: U.S., Panamanian Gastro Teams Tackle Backlog Together CHITRÉ, Panama – In a quiet procedure room at Hospital Gustavo Nelson Collado, U.S. Air Force gastroenterologists are working shoulder-to-shoulder with their Panamanian counterparts, exchanging techniques while cutting through a long list of patients who had been waiting years for specialized care.
Sept. 24, 2025 Language as a Force Multiplier: LEAP Scholars Bridge Cultures in Panamá LA MESA, Panamá – For U.S. Airmen supporting AMISTAD 2025, medical supplies, advanced procedures and long days of patient care tell only part of the story. Behind the scenes, it’s language—and the Airmen and the guardians who bridge it—that makes the mission possible.
