MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- After a virtual selection board process this spring, the Air Force Culture and Language Center selected 103 Cadets for the Language Enabled Airman Program. Of the 103 Cadets selected, 67 were chosen from the United States Air Force Academy and 36 from Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps in 21 languages.
Participation in LEAP is voluntary and highly competitive. To become a LEAP scholar, Airmen must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language specified on the Air Force Strategic Language List, receive an endorsement from their unit commander, and compete via a board process. Selection to LEAP is based on applicants’ existing language proficiency, potential to achieve higher levels of language proficiency, and Air Force language requirements.
Below are the names of the 103 Cadets who are now members of LEAP. You can also watch our announcement video here.
Arabic-Modern Standard
Alali, Omar
Georgey, Kyrolos
Hydar, Bethany
Kahn, Jacob
Lotfi, Mohammad
Singles, Lauren
Yantis, Lucas
Armenian
Maljanian, Aram
Chinese-Mandarin
Bai, Andy
Harbo, Gavin
Hawk, Griffith
Hughes, Hunter
Johnson, Anders
Little, Anna
Liu, Doreen
Manning, Catherine
Melching, Brian
Nascimento, Jonah
Nguyen, Benjamin
Ratcliff, Samuel
Rehman, Noora
Thatcher, Tyler
Tran, Katherine
Velte, Robert
Xiao, Xi
Dutch
Smith, Benjamin
Finnish
Vahakyla, Kalle-Erik
French
Blazicko, Arianna
Buniowski, Andrzej
Castillo, Allison
Cheung, Zoe
Diallo, Fatoumata
Dobretsov, Timothy
Fujitani, Hunter
Ingersoll, Christian
Jung, Justin
Kappel, Jeremy
Kemper, Anna
Knutson, Garth
Leap, Grant
Lotivio, Kristof
Marien, Zachary
Mucklestone, Joseph
Parsons, Justin
Slone, Tristin
Swanson, Braeden
German
Agnew, Christopher
Arbanas, Emma
Geniza, Ian
McFarland, Linus
Root, Natalie
Hebrew
Fishler, Arielle
Hindi
Sharma, Chanakya
Indonesian
Schofield, Ethan
Italian
Sommers, Madison
Ublacker, Kyle
Japanese
Bakken, Catherine
Black, Mary
Brunton, Alana
Cabazal, Micaelah
Chung, Benny
Cowie, Cleo
Seo, Kevin
Willmann, Reece
Yi, Patrick
Korean
Anderson, William
Bishop, Alexis
Kim, Sabrina
Lee, Chanyoung
Portuguese-Brazilian
Butler, Maria
Nesburg, Daniel
Reid, Nicholas
Portuguese-European
Boggs, Isabelle
Punjabi-Western
Pelia, Manmeet
Romanian
Hirjoi, Alexander
Russian
Barskiy, Daniel
Bogue, Lauren
Diamond, Katherine
Dollar, Landon
Hawthorne, Cameron
Holley, Trevor
Strong, James
Szybist, Christina
Wolf, Alma
Yeager, Kathryn
Spanish
Aguilar, Keyby
Amstutz, Mitchell
Boyle, Aidan
Elder, Graham
Gardiner, Aidan
Jewett, Mathew
Landy, James
Martinez-Riviere, Paulo
Muench, Austin
Pingree, George
Schwier, Alexandria
Stine, Caden
Trevino, Leanza
Vallejos, Jeremy
Tagalog
Cabrera, Chloe
Ukrainian
Ilchenko, Isabella
Potter, Benjamin
Tourashev, Daniil