MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- Whether supporting high-level strategy for the Pentagon or navigating cultural nuances during simulated warfare in the Pacific, Chinese Mandarin Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP) Scholars have repeatedly displayed their skills when called to action.
"The LEAP Advanced LITE/TPR program provided critical experience understanding global adversaries and allies, enabling me to support warfighter operations with my language and regional expertise,” said 1st Lt. Xue Wang, a ground radar engineer with the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) and a member of the Air Force Culture and Language Center (AFCLC) Best Linguist Games team. The AFCLC recruited, trained, and polished Lieutenant Wang through linguist competitions which helped her apply her Chinese Mandarin to real world intelligence applications. “Simulating integrated warfare in the INDOPACOM enhanced my readiness for real-world challenges as a Mandarin-speaking Air Force Officer and strengthened my current role at NASIC. Invaluable mentorship from the AFCLC proved instrumental in my selection to a Pentagon project, collaborating with French and British allies on future air power strategies.”
Chinese Mandarin LEAP Scholars are known for their remarkable versatility, stepping confidently into roles that span a wide and dynamic range of missions.
“During the Exercise SOURDOUGH, my role involved translating the script and recording a video,” said Staff Sgt. Zhe Wang, a financial Analysis Supervisor at Travis, AFB, Calif. “This video was critical to the exercise, simulating a real-world event that challenged our air advisors. The air advisors then had to rapidly gather critical information from the Chinese Mandarin dialogue, adapt their operational execution in response to the unfolding events, and enhance their situational awareness and force protection skills within this complex, culturally specific environment. As a LEAP Scholar, I'm proud that my language skills were essential to crafting this realistic scenario, ensuring the dialogue and cultural nuances were accurate., will better prepare air advisors for future global missions.”
Chinese Mandarin LEAP Scholars enable a wide array of missions because their language, regional expertise and culture skill sets are cultivated by a rigorous curriculum through the AFCLC. One of the first steps are eMentor courses, which consist of online teaching from a language instructor.
“I have been participating in the eMentor program for many years now, studying both Mandarin and Cantonese,” said Maj. Mitchell Yuan, a clinical nurse at Misawa Air Base, Japan who has completed five eMentor courses. “Each class brings new challenges that invigorate my learning experience, like a breath of fresh air. The program has been instrumental in refining my language proficiency, pushing me to articulate my thoughts clearly and concisely. Additionally, it has enhanced my analytical skills, enabling me to navigate complex language structures and express my perspectives effectively. This continuous engagement has significantly advanced my proficiency and confidence in both languages.”
“I recently completed a 12-hour advanced eMentor course,” said Tech Sgt. Steven Swei, who has completed three eMentor courses, while navigating a frequently changing work schedule. “I particularly enjoy the opportunity to strengthen both my speaking and writing skills. Each session focuses on a different topic, ranging from military operations to everyday life, which requires students to conduct research and deliver a 5-to-10-minute speech during class. Afterward, we submit a written summary explaining how the topic may impact Air Force operations. The eMentor course is intellectually challenging but extremely rewarding, and it has significantly enhanced my confidence and fluency.”
eMentor courses can help students with the nuances that make every language unique.
“I participated in the 3+ level e-mentor program, which significantly improved my ability to read Classical Chinese, a language that differs from everyday usage,” said (1st Lt. Xue) Wang. “However, it plays a vital role in Chinese history and culture. Many modern and contemporary works reference Classical phrases and sentences, so understanding their meanings and context is essential for grasping the true implications of the words. This knowledge enhances my ability to interpret texts more accurately and appreciate their cultural significance.”
The AFCLC also utilizes Language Intensive Training Events (LITEs) where a LEAP Scholar is completely immersed in their language.
“The Cyber LITE at Air University was such a unique experience and, I feel, the one that felt most practical or applicable to my Air Force career,” said Capt. Conner Ducote-Clark, Flight Commander, Security Operations Center, 367th Cyberspace Operations Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas- who has participated in six LITEs. “This course brought in dozens of LEAP Scholars across various languages. Every day would be split up into two sessions. During morning sessions, all students would convene in a conference room and various speakers would come to discuss a myriad of cyber-related topics within the context of Global Power Competition. During the afternoon sessions, we would then break out into our various languages and discuss those topics using the target language with an instructor who helped facilitate. This was such a unique experience, and I still have a group chat with my classmates where we catch up from time to time.”
Immersive LITEs can also take place virtually, multiplying the opportunities for LEAP Scholars to progress in their languages.
“vLITEs were immersive virtual classroom-based training, allowing me to practice Mandarin in simulated taskings such as briefings and negotiations” said Capt. Jina Miller, an instructor in the 14N Intelligence Officer Course, who is a Korean LEAP Scholar in addition to Chinese Mandarin. “This improved my ability to communicate effectively under pressure. TPRs evaluated my language skills through individual assessments with the LITE instructors. They helped me find areas to work on and track my progress. These experiences strengthened my ability to use Mandarin in important situations, so I am continually ready for operational demands.”
All of these different learning methods are especially useful for a language like Chinese-Mandarin which has distinctive characteristics.
“Mandarin Chinese is unique because it is tonal in nature,” said Miller. “Changes in pitch can change word meanings, which requires accuracy in pronunciation and good listening skills. Its writing system uses characters instead of an alphabet. This demands a significant amount of memorization, as well as understanding of cultural context to learn. Culturally, China values collectivism, respects hierarchy, and has historical traditions such as Confucianism. These aspects differ from more individualistic or equal societies. They influence communication styles, making it important to be aware of indirectness and context in professional and personal interactions. All of these factors can affect the meaning of what is being said and understanding contextual meaning gets more complex when the generational difference in Mandarin usage to adjust its governing power. This distinction sets Mandarin apart from many other languages.”
When these language and culture skills are added to the military experience that LEAP Scholars bring to the table, it enables them to be multi-level communicators. Because the Air Force selects LEAP Scholars from within the force and from almost all career fields, the AFCLC is able to focus Scholars on technical and military terms to better communicate with partner nation personnel. This is a key factor in achieving interoperability and speed when time determines mission success.
“I have had opportunities to assist joint projects with partner ally key leaders by effectively communicating specific technical and military terminology,” said Yuan. “During previous airdrop missions with our partners, I explained and practiced the Low-Cost, Low-Altitude (LCLA) airdrop technique, ensuring everyone was aligned on procedures and execution. In another instance, I worked with our partners, where I clarified Rapid Runway Repair (RRR) techniques and the use of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) materials for rapid runway recovery. These exchanges were instrumental in improving mutual understanding and operational efficiency, fostering a seamless working relationship across diverse teams.”
As LEAP Scholars grow and develop their language, regional expertise and culture (LREC) skills, some choose the path of becoming Foreign Area Officer (FAO). A FAO is a commissioned officer who specializes in international affairs. Their roles include advising senior leaders on political-military operations, building relationships with foreign leaders, coordinating security cooperation, and serving as defense attaché or political-military planners.
“I am currently a certified FAO on a joint duty assignment with DTRA (Defense Threat Reduction Agency),” said Lt. Col. Richard Uber, who has completed seven eMentor courses. “I work in DTRA’s Indo-Pacific Regional Cooperative Engagement Office inside U.S. Embassy Singapore. In this role, I lead a team of 12 US and local employees across six embassies. My LEAP experience introduced me to a small fraction of embassy operations and deepened my understanding of cross-cultural communication, something that comes in handy not just with foreign partners, but also with foreign staff inside the embassies, and with the US interagency as well.”
“I was selected to cross-train for FAO with the class of 2024,” said Capt. Connor Crandall a developmental engineer and LEAP Scholar since 2018. “I begin my pipeline next January. LEAP gave me the tools and access needed to maintain my proficiency while still in my original AFSC for six-plus years. When the time came that I was able to apply to cross-train, I had LITEs and 200-plus hours of eMentor coursework that added weight to my application. Only five percent of applicants were selected for my class. I do not think I would have been among them if it had not been for LEAP.”
Even if they don’t pursue the FAO path, Chinese Mandarin LEAP Scholars still work closely with our allies.
“I have worked and trained with allied partner military members during previous training engagements,” said Yuan. “I had the privilege of collaborating with a Taiwanese pilot, civil engineer officers, and a Singapore senior leader. The experience was incredibly rewarding, as I was able to draw on my travel experiences, particularly the multiple trips I made to Taiwan through various LITE opportunities. These experiences allowed me to connect with them on a personal level and accommodate their needs based on their cultural and professional backgrounds. Additionally, I was able to share insights from my own military career, building a solid foundation of mutual understanding. This shared connection fostered deeper relationships and stronger bonds, enabling us to work together effectively and strengthen collaboration. Overall, it was an enriching opportunity to bridge cultural and professional gaps and grow as part of a global military community.”
LEAP Scholars are often called on to play important roles in programs with partner allies.
“I was assigned as the Deputy Security Assistance Program Manager (DSAPM) for the Taiwan F-16 New Buy Program from 2022-2023,” said Crandall. “During that time, I worked daily with the Foreign Liaison Officers (FLOs) sent from Taiwan to manage the program on their side. As the only member of the US team who spoke Mandarin, I was frequently brought into senior level meetings at the O-6/O-7 level to help translate and ensure there were no misunderstandings. Because I was also very knowledgeable on the program as the DSAPM, my leadership trusted and gave me a lot of autonomy to engage directly with Taiwanese officers when negotiating strategies and programmatics. During the assignment, I spent three weeks in Taiwan organizing and executing the first on-island program management review for the effort.”
In the critical INDOPACOM area of responsibility, LEAP Scholars facilitate cooperation and integration between the United States and its allies. The ability to communicate and achieve results effectively with its partner nations gives the United States a capability that its competition does not possess.
“… (during Training Partnership Request) My fellow Chinese-Mandarin LEAP scholars and I collaborated with USAF subject matter experts from across the globe to facilitate training in five key areas of synchronization with Taiwan Air Force (TAF),” said 1st Lt. Alvin Kan, a section commander with the 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron, who is also a Chinese Cantonese LEAP Scholar. “By providing real-time interpretation and documentation translation support, we enabled mission success and deepened understanding of cultural differences. This resulted in successful equipment upgrades for our partner and impressive low-cost, low-altitude airdrops conducted by TAF alongside U.S. forces.”
The addition of LEAP Scholars to training exercises between the U.S. and its allies increases interoperability and elevates warfighting readiness.
“During the VIGILANT PACIFIC 2024 (VIGPAC) exercise, I served as a Mandarin translator supporting our Five Eyes (FVEY) partners in activities aimed at improving Allied interoperability in Counterintelligence (CI), Human Intelligence (HUMINT), and exploitation functions,” said Yuan. “The exercise simulated a fictional near-peer competition scenario, focusing on enhancing awareness of multinational capabilities, constraints, and opportunities within a FVEY operational environment. Our goal was to build stronger professional relationships and identify improved methods for conducting combined CI/HUMINT/exploitation missions … the experience offered invaluable lessons for future operations. By addressing the identified gaps and implementing the recommendations, we can strengthen our interoperability and operational effectiveness in combined missions.”
The effectiveness of LEAP Scholars in an assortment of training scenarios has made them a vital component to exercises involving U.S. forces and allied partners.
“The Language Enabled Airman Program Scholars who supported our recent exercise were able to provide their expertise and professionalism and were instrumental in validating our division’s ability to conduct interrogations of enemy prisoners of war in a foreign language, an essential capability for success in large-scale combat operations,” said 3rd Infantry Division G2, Lt. Col. William Denn. “The LEAP Scholars seamlessly integrated with our teams, bringing not only language proficiency but also cultural insight that enriched the training environment and significantly enhanced the realism of our scenario. Their contribution directly improved our readiness and demonstrated the critical importance of language-enabled operations on the modern battlefield.”
“The LEAP Scholars’ linguistic abilities and mental agility directly contributed to the success of the pilot program,” said Chief of Army HUMINT GG-15 Greg Smietanski. “This training has provided our Soldiers with a realistic training environment that allowed them to use their language and HUMINT skills simultaneously. Through their time and effort, we are building a more combat credible force and increasing our jointness.”
And building a more combat credible force and increasing our jointness are key goals in regard to competition with China. This competition is something of which Chinese Mandarin LEAP Scholars are well aware.
“Being a Mandarin Chinese LEAP Scholar, in light of U.S.-China relations, is both challenging and rewarding since I do understand it is critical,” said Miller. “It requires a nuanced understanding of strategic competition and the ability to connect with Chinese-speaking counterparts on a cultural level. The LEAP program prepares me to handle these challenges by focusing on language skills and cultural knowledge. Thus, I know this global power clash is not the first-time event and there are things that we can learn from the past and apply to the present. If called upon to do so, I can help with diplomacy and intelligence work when and where needed and utilize my knowledge to speak to the impact beyond the bilateral competition. My role ultimately will be to highlight how crucial communication is in minimizing misunderstandings and fostering stability, even when competition is high.”
The competitive relationship with China has served as a motivator for some LEAP Scholars.
“Competition with China was first highlighted when I was at the Air Force Institute of Technology, (AFIT)” said Uber. “During a visit from Deputy Secretary of Defense Work, he highlighted how technology and the emerging topics being researched at AFIT would underpin future conflicts. From that angle, I decided to double my efforts into understanding Chinese emerging technology and focused my e-Mentor special projects courses in the same direction. Competition with China motivated me to work through LEAP to enhance my understanding of emerging technologies, which led to my selection for the National Intelligence University’s Research Fellowship and paved the way to me becoming a FAO and my upcoming assignment to Beijing.”
In the competition between the U.S. and China, one of the advantages the U.S. has is a pool of mission ready service members from a wide range of fields whose skills in language, regional expertise and culture increase its warfighting readiness and interoperability with its allies – something the competitor lacks.
“LEAP’s mission to train and equip Airmen with language and cultural expertise and then provide platforms to utilize those skills is essential to building coalitions and guaranteeing interoperability with our allies and partners,” said Capt. Jordan Weseman, a mobility pilot with the 909th Air Refueling Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan.” It’s impossible to overstate the value LEAP scholars bring to our Air Force and joint services which are constantly responding to crises happening around the world and engaging in countless training missions with allies and partners, from which we both benefit.”
“LEAP provides the Air Force with a unique pool of individuals with varying backgrounds, cultural experiences, language expertise, and, most importantly, career fields and work experiences,” said Ducote-Clark. “This essentially is an extremely flexible tool that the Air Force has to use in a wide range of scenarios when working with our Allies and international partners. If we need to help train a partner on F-16 tactics, we can send our pilot LEAP scholars. If we need to share intelligence and discuss adversary tactics, maybe we will send some intelligence analyst LEAP scholars. The combinations are endless, which makes it powerful.”