LEAP Spotlight: Master Sgt. Oscar Pena The Language Enabled Airman Program is an incredible program that was key to my staying in the Air Force. It has allowed me to experience things outside of my career field, work with partner nations, participate in their culture experience, and feel an extremely satisfying sense of fulfillment.
LEAP Spotlight – TSgt Alexander Kozyerinsky Growing up in Ukraine, I always wanted to join the U.S. military. Influenced by many Western action films, I dreamed of becoming a Marine one day who would inevitably save the world. In 2002, my family was allowed to immigrate to the United States, bringing me closer to realizing my dream.
LEAP Spotlight: Staff Sgt. Diana Brewer "My experience as a Language Enabled Airman Program Scholar has been incredible! LEAP sparked my interest to further improve my native language skills and played a factor in my reenlisting later this year," Russian LEAP Scholar Staff Sgt. Diana Brewer said.
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Andrew Pommersheim "My LEAP training really came into play this past summer when I went to Japan as part of an international agreement between the U.S. government and Japan’s Space Policy Secretariat. This experience stretched the viability of my Japanese while contributing to an important mission, which was
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Ethan Sneider "LEAP is not solely a means to learn a language and study a culture, but a part of a holistic approach to becoming influential and impactful," Hebrew LEAP Scholar Capt. Ethan Sneider said.
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. William “Billy” Vician "During the February 2023 earthquake relief efforts, I worked with Turkish civil engineers to power and locate buildings at the main aerial port for the devastated region of south-central Türkiye. These efforts were a testament to our teamwork and cooperation amid tragedy. I am happy that the
LEAP Spotlight: Staff Sgt. Yelyzaveta Schierer "LEAP has given me a chance to support the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian crisis by deploying me to establish communication between NATO leadership and Ukrainian forces as a Training Partnership Request," Serbian Croatian LEAP Scholar Staff Sgt. Yelyzaveta Schierer said.
LEAP Spotlight: Maj Daria C. Awusah "Serving as a Language Enabled Airman Program Scholar has been one of the main highlights of my professional career. The language training and the regional and culture training I developed through LEAP’s various programs enabled me to execute the mission of teaching human rights and international
LEAP Spotlight: Tech. Sgt. Joshiro Nagashima "The Language Enabled Airman Program has provided extraordinary experiences and opportunities. I am seeing the bigger picture of bilateral force, which has given me more enjoyment and fulfillment as an Airman. LEAP also made me rethink my career and ultimately re-enlist, as I enjoy being a LEAP
LEAP Spotlight: Master Sgt. Luisa Martinez "Being there also helped the Panamanians improve their perspective of Americans. I showed them I understood their feelings toward the U.S. military and gave them a space to have those conversations while showing them we related to them. By the end of the experience, we had shifted mindsets to the
LEAP Spotlight: Capt Zechariah Sparrow "Remember that you are not applying to learn a language but a people. You are applying to learn how to connect to another culture and open doors for the United States military," said Russian LEAP Scholar Capt. Zechariah Sparrow.
LEAP Spotlight: Maj. Joanne Whitlock "LEAP has given me the opportunity to be closer to my heritage and language while representing the Air Force. More than ever, the Air Force values cultural competency and language proficiency," Tagalog LEAP Scholar Maj. Joanne Whitlock said.
LEAP Spotlight: Tech. Sgt. Christopher Wood "I feel like being in LEAP has opened my eyes to how much language and cultural awareness is being talked about by our senior leaders, like General Brown and Chief Bass. LEAP does much more than just enhance language. It helps you understand the intricate details of the language and culture," German
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Cassaundra Preston "I always tell people LEAP is one of those singularly unique and powerful Air Force programs that is as much a delight to contribute to as it is important to learn from. It’s my 'why' for staying in the Air Force when my desk feels far from the fight," French LEAP Scholar Capt. Cassaundra Preston
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Jessica Zenteno The rewarding experiences I've had through LEAP are a major reason I've chosen to continue my service in the Air Force. The exchange of cultural knowledge is crucial in our roles as multi-capable Airmen, as it fosters global competence," Spanish LEAP Scholar Capt. Jessica Zenteno said.
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Jack Corriere "There are a lot of pilots who don’t know about LEAP and think the only job they can have is being a pilot. They don't know you can do LEAP and be afforded these amazing opportunities while you are a pilot. You can have the best of both worlds if you are a pilot who speaks another language. We need
LEAP Spotlight: Senior Master Sgt. Alejandro Velez "By empowering our multicultural people and powerful diversity, we will remain the partner nation of choice because we are the only nation capable of delivering needed support in any language, for any culture, any place and at any time," Spanish LEAP Scholar Senior Master Sgt. Alejandro Velez said.
LEAP Chapter Spotlight: Ramstein Air Base Language-enabled Airmen and community members at Air Force and joint bases worldwide connect in LEAP Chapters to grow their knowledge and appreciation for language, regional expertise, and culture. The LEAP Chapter at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, was revived after the COVID-19 pandemic.
LEAP Spotlight: Maj. Jessica Padoemthontaweekij "In 2022, Maj. Jessica Padoemthontaweekij was selected to attend the Royal Thai Air Force Air Command and Staff College in Bangkok, Thailand, as the first United States Air Force female officer to attend the school.
LEAP Spotlight: Maj. Kealey Patterson "As we operate in a strategic environment across the world, it is necessary to understand our adversaries to better support our partners and allies in matters that are important to all of us and effect world stability," Russian LEAP Scholar Maj. Kealey Patterson said.
LEAP to FAO Spotlight: Lt. Col. Michael Ball "I owe the last six years and all my future career success to LEAP. Without LEAP, I would not be here today, building global relationships with 80 countries as a Division Chief at the International Officer School at Maxwell AFB, AL, and future FAO challenges I hope to meet as well," LEAP Scholar Lt.
LEAP Spotlight: Master Sgt. Ricardo Cepeda Pastrana "LEAP has helped me see the value of coming in with LREC skills, particularly now that there is a great emphasis on the Multi-Capable Airmen concept. If you’re a LEAP Scholar, consider yourself a screened and well-qualified MCA with a unique skillset that can’t be gained in a few weeks’ course,"
LEAP Spotlight: 1st Lt. Emmanuel Parushev "I particularly appreciated the holistic ethos of language acquisition adopted by LEAP. The emphasis on continual reinforcement of languages ... is an aspect of language acquisition I resonate with: there is no “end date” to improving language knowledge," French LEAP Scholar 1st Lt. Emmanuel
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Briana Winslow "Not only have I met like-minded Airmen through LEAP, but I have also been given the opportunity to continue learning in a way compatible with my day-to-day military job. My language skills have opened some incredible doors for me since I commissioned, and I can’t imagine what the past six years
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Jessica Lugan 'Participating in LEAP not only prepares me for work in interoperability, but also to serve in my current position. I feel equipped and prepared in my ability to make our patients feel comfortable and heard. Having exposure to other cultures has given me more empathy and understanding to better
LEAP Spotlight: Capt Eric Bentum I look at LEAP like an honor society for language scholars in the Air Force because it brings together language proficient, culturally competent, and like-minded Air Force members and affords them a broader opportunity to serve the United States in unique and diverse ways their regular career fields
LEAP Chapter Spotlight: Barksdale Air Force Base Language-enabled service members at Air Force and joint bases worldwide connect at their local bases through LEAP Chapters. At Barksdale Air Force Base, Language Enabled Airman Program Scholars and other Airmen and community members connect to enhance language and cultural awareness and proficiency
LEAP Spotlight: Maj. Oscar Castro “LEAP is a phenomenal program that cultivates a passion for language and cultural diversity and allows one to put our inherent skills to good use to propel missions to success. The array of opportunities and people you will meet is too vast to describe; it is honestly a hidden gem, and I couldn’t be
LEAP Spotlight: Master Sgt. Lisa Shurling “LEAP has made my career in the Air Force more enjoyable and has been one of the factors that have kept me in the Force. The fact that the Air Force cares enough to provide the tools I need to maintain and further develop my second language is something I value and appreciate very deeply," Spanish
LEAP Chapter Spotlight: Yokota Air Base Language-enabled service members at Air Force and joint bases worldwide connect at their local bases through LEAP Chapters. For example, LEAP Scholars stationed at Yokota Air Base in Japan have recently established a LEAP Chapter at their base.
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Cara Fitzgerald “LEAP has prepared me for future Air Force utilization, working with NATO partners such as Belgium and the Netherlands and partners in SOUTHCOM," Dutch LEAP Scholar Capt. Cara Fitzgerald said.
LEAP Chapter Spotlight: Nellis/Creech Air Force Base Language-enabled service members at Air Force and joint bases worldwide connect at their local bases through LEAP Chapters. For example, Nellis and Creech Air Force Bases, located in Nevada, have a combined LEAP Chapter led by Pashto Afghan LEAP Scholar 1st Lt. Skyler Sharp as president, Spanish
LEAP Spotlight: Tech. Sgt. Jorge Nevarez “One of the things I’ve learned in LEAP is there’s a difference between knowing the language and understanding the culture behind it. That’s something that LEAP enhances - understanding the culture and learning the language. That’s one of the things that has made me successful in my job,” Portuguese
LEAP Spotlight: 2d Lt. Inkoo Kang “LEAP allowed me to gain an understanding of how the military values languages and how you don’t have to be a linguist in the military to contribute language skills," French LEAP Scholar 2d Lt. Inkoo Kang said.
LEAP Spotlight: SMSgt Martha “Priscilla” Meza “I believe LEAP is the art of cultural competency. LEAP and Intel go hand in hand. I can fuse my Intel background and Spanish speaking abilities to educate Airmen here on Kadena Air Base,” Spanish language LEAP Scholar Senior Master Sgt. Martha Meza said.
LEAP to FAO Spotlight: Capt. Rufus Gorkhali “LEAP has been instrumental in my professional growth as an officer. It has largely influenced my career trajectory as well. LEAP has improved my cultural understanding in addition to language comprehension," LEAP Scholar and Foreign Area Officer Capt. Rufus Gorkhali said.
LEAP Chapter Spotlight: Kadena Air Base Language-enabled service members at Air Force and joint bases worldwide connect at their local bases through LEAP Chapters. For example, the LEAP Chapter at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, also known as the “Shogun LEAP Chapter,” connects members of the Language Enabled Airman Program with
LEAP Spotlight: Tech. Sgt. Emmanuel Villasenor “LEAP has impacted my personal life by deepening my language abilities and expanding my awareness of the German culture. Being stationed in Germany does not feel like I am stationed in a foreign land; instead, it feels like I am home," German LEAP Scholar Tech. Sgt. Emmanuel Villasenor said.
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Jack Matson “As a flyer, I use the lessons from LEAP daily. When on the road internationally, I am constantly reminded that I am representing not only the Air Force, but also the United States. The program really captures the whole Airman concept of creating well rounded service members," Spanish LEAP Scholar
LEAP Spotlight: Master Sgt. Patrick Singson “LEAP brought me closer to home and provided me with more leadership tools and skill sets. I instantly established a long-term personal and working relationship with our Philippine Armed Forces counterparts. Recently, I had the opportunity to utilize my language to be part of planning conferences
LEAP Spotlight: Tech Sgt. Volodymyr Palko “My first language intensive training event aiding U.S. Army Europe during the Ukraine crisis response immediately became the defining moment of my Air Force career to that point. I was in a situation for which I was uniquely qualified. The assignment gave me space to exercise my advanced level of
LEAP Spotlight: Staff Sgt. Sagar Khadka "Being a multi-language capable Airman, LEAP has taught me how my own actions can have a positive or negative impact in the Air Force. I am constantly utilizing the knowledge and experiences I’ve gained through LEAP. During OAR, I quickly became deeply involved with advocating multiple aspects of
LEAP Spotlight: Maj. Darrell Moyers "I leverage my skills and cultural understanding in ways that keep the U.S. as the preferred partner of choice in areas subject to influence by rival countries. Again, going back to understanding a language versus just knowing one, I can relate to partners in a way others cannot. As such, I can
LEAP Spotlight: Maj. Mark Poppler “The skills I’ve learned through LEAP of integrating into various other cultures is the biggest thing I use in my everyday mission. It allows me to better understand the motivations, views, and customs of people I interact with to effectively communicate and work with people in general," French LEAP
LEAP to FAO Spotlight: Maj. Logan Barlow “Being a FAO, I utilize my LREC skillset along with operational relevance to engage with our bilateral partners regularly; but you don’t have to be a FAO to do that. Being good at your tactical skill set, and having LREC skills, empowers Airmen to be more lethal as a force. To remain tactically
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Holly Tolley “LEAP has provided me with unique learning opportunities while helping me keep my Chinese skills up. This has really helped in my Air Force career overall by broadening my mindset to consider opportunities and perspectives that are multicultural and multidimensional. This allows me to be able to
LEAP to FAO Spotlight: Capt. Kalynn Mendez "The FAO career path soon became my ‘Air Force dream job.’ I knew being a LEAP Scholar would only make me a better candidate for FAO and build my language and cultural skills during the waiting period. I attribute a significant amount of the success of my FAO package to my LEAP experiences and
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Kenny Maeng “It’s been amazing being a part of LEAP because it has helped me to improve my language skills and allowed me to return back to my birthplace to gain cultural/regional expertise. As a LEAP Scholar, I know I play a big role in meeting not only the Secretary of Defense’s priority of strengthening
LEAP Spotlight: Maj. Jonathan Vazquez “We live in a multi-polar world where cultural and language skills are essential to the Air Force mission. Those skills increase our military lethality and shape our interactions with our allies and partners,” Spanish Language Enabled Airman Program Scholar Maj. Jonathan Vazquez said.
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Spencer Snow “I am thankful LEAP has given me a formal setting to continue studying Mandarin Chinese, and it has provided me with unique immersion and learning experiences. I will continue to actively participate in the program and hope to become increasingly involved in Air Force work that requires the language
LEAP Spotlight: Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Shelton “As much as I struggle between two very different cultures as a 1.5 generation immigrant and feel the pain of fighting the battles to resolve the conflicts, I also feel empowered and obligated to utilize this gift and ability to help others overcome misunderstandings and bridge cultures and
LEAP Spotlight: Tech. Sgt. Carlos Flores Reynes “I wish more people knew about LEAP and the resources and experiences it can provide. This program is vital to ensure the Air Force continues to develop personnel with different languages and cultural skillsets to develop strategic partnerships worldwide. These skillsets will become more valuable as
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Ramon Mangles-Manco “I think the professionalism, development, and readiness skills I’ve gained through LEAP are paramount. If I didn’t have this training, I wouldn’t have been ready for working in SOUTHCOM with different partner nations throughout the AOR to build mutually beneficial relationships,” Spanish LEAP
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. William Watson “Oftentimes, rated members are so zoned in on tactics and our specialty, it can lead to tunnel vision. LEAP allows me to take a step back and put all the pieces together to get a broader context and be a better officer and Airman. I think that’s what the Air Force is looking for," Chinese LEAP
LEAP Spotlight: Maj. James Beard “LEAP has impacted both my personal life and my professional life in the Air Force. It has made me keep up with my French; I really try to stay engaged with it and study on my own. It’s amazing how many different places I’ve used the language skills I’ve gained in LEAP," French LEAP Scholar Maj.
LEAP Spotlight: 1st Lt. Jason Pluger “Overall, I’ve had an excellent experience in LEAP. Being a LEAP Scholar has gone a long way toward helping me both maintain and further my language ability," Chinese Mandarin LEAP Scholar 1st Lt. Jason Pluger said.
LEAP Spotlight: 1st Lt. Mariah C. Pérez “The Language Enabled Airman Program has promoted my personal and professional growth while allowing me to build relationships. You don’t have anything to lose by applying for LEAP but could miss an opportunity to develop your cross-cultural and language skills by not applying,” Spanish LEAP
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Victoria Smith “The Language Enabled Airman Program has enriched my life in the Air Force by enabling me to serve using my interests and skills outside of my AFSC,” French LEAP Scholar Capt. Victoria Smith said.
LEAP Spotlight: Maj. Andrews Gonzalez “LEAP has enriched my military career greatly. I am very proud of the opportunities I’ve been given to contribute to the Air Force mission as well as to the defense and our country by using my language and cultural skills,” Spanish Language Enabled Airman Program Scholar Maj. Andrews Gonzalez said.
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Jimmy Chien “I wish more people knew about LEAP and the resources and experiences it can provide. LEAP is absolutely vital in ensuring the Air Force develops personnel with language and cultural skillsets. These skillsets will become invaluable as we continue to leverage and foster our partnerships across the
LEAP Spotlight: Maj. Timothy Bettis "The ability of AFCLC to be forward-thinking and enable USAF students to flex their curriculum to anticipate future DOD needs is highly important. The bottom-up nature of the Language Enabled Airman Program allows students to be more agile in matching their interests and capabilities to emerging DOD
LEAP Spotlight: Maj. Nichole Ayers Air Force Major Nichole Ayers, a Russian Language Enabled Airman Program Scholar who was recently selected to become a NASA astronaut candidate, said, “It’s important for us as humans going to space together and working together to understand each other’s cultures. I feel like I have already gotten
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Aigerim Akhmetova “LEAP is a great program and positively impacts our strategic objectives by building and strengthening strategic alliances around the world. My latest LEAP opportunity, which was also my Language Intensive Training Event, was personal. It was personal because it meant I would have the opportunity to
LEAP Spotlight: Tech Sgt. Trymaine Kelley “Being a LEAP Scholar is life-changing. Just recently, I re-took the DLPT test, and I got my highest scores ever. Now, not only do I get paid extra to know a language, but I also get to help out the Air Force and support missions I wouldn’t have access to otherwise. I have been to Costa Rica, Mexico
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Brian Reed “The Language Enabled Airman Program helped reinforce my perspective on just how important it is for United States and Japanese military forces to be able to effectively work together on a strategic, tactical, and operational level,” Japanese LEAP Scholar Capt. Brian Reed said.
LEAP Spotlight: LEAP to Space Force with SMSgt. Adrian Gaxiola “LEAP gave me skills and experiences I would have never gained within my AFSC. It also allowed me to serve in a PME role while being an intelligence professional. Currently, my role is to teach NCOA to Airmen and Guardians while helping the USSF stand up its first Enlisted PME Center. In the future,
LEAP Spotlight: Colonel Ceir Coral “As I go into my 36th year of service in the USAF, I can reflect on my opportunities to utilize my language skills and am fortunate to be a part of the tremendous, force-enabling LEAP; I am excited to see the continual growth in language and culture awareness,” Portuguese Brazilian Language Enabled
LEAP Spotlight: Maj. Julio “Baxter” Arizmendi Laclaustra “I first found out about the Language Enabled Airman Program at the Air Force Culture and Language Center while in ROTC when my Detachment Commander and early mentor Lt. Col. Delucca notified me about the opportunity to join the program. I was interested and excited to grow professionally while
LEAP Spotlight: Special Agent Rory Swafford “A firm understanding of cultural nuances is critical for building international partnerships, and LEAP has undoubtedly been a vital cornerstone in greatly expanding my knowledge base,” Special Agent Rory Swafford said.
LEAP Spotlight:1st Lt. James Kiesewetter “A question I’ve often thought about — what does being a part of another culture look and feel like?For me, learning German started when the U.S. Air Force Academy chose what language I would take for one year: German. I fell in love with learning a language, and here I am more than five years
LEAP Spotlight with Maj. Wesley Meredith “I joined the Language Enabled Airman Program in 2010 for Swahili, which I learned while growing up and going to school in Kenya. I started with a limited knowledge of Swahili, but through LEAP, I grew my language capabilities. I went on my first Language Intensive Training Event in 2015 to
LEAP Spotlight: Tech. Sgt. Emmanuel Franco-Heredia Tech. Sgt. Emmanuel Franco-Heredia completed his master’s degree in Logistics and Transportations in 2018. During that time, he also learned about the Language Enabled Airman Program offered by the Air Force Culture and Language Center.
LEAP Spotlight with Capt. Abdulaziz Ali “Fostering America’s talents. This is America’s strength; they draw talents from all parts of the population. I’ve heard some variation of this sentiment from several high-ranking officers during exercise SILENT WARRIOR 20 in Garmisch, Germany. Hosted by SOCAFRICA, the Joint-Combined Exercise
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Michelle Cazares “My parents are from Mexico, but I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Growing up, my father was very strict about my siblings and me speaking Spanish at home. He felt it was important for us to speak our native language and be educated about our culture.
LEAP Spotlight: Staff Sgt. Felix Gomes The Language Enabled Airman Program has been a wonderful experience since the start. I was assigned to amazing eMentor instructors for both my 48-hour traditional course and recently the 16-hour advanced course. I learned a lot from both and honed my language skills, which made me more confident.
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Caleb Yee “I am a 14N Intel Officer and have been stationed at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, for about three years now. In my first year In Korea, I immediately applied for the Language Enabled Airman Program after hearing how much it would help me during my first assignment.
LEAP Spotlight: Lt. Col. Sylvia Kim U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Sylvia Kim is a member of a very elite club. She is one of more than 3,000 scholars in the Air Force Culture and Language Center’s Language Enabled Airman Program. As a lifelong language learner, she instantly knew LEAP was a perfect fit.
eMentor Spotlight: Capt. Margarita Balish Capt. Margarita Balish has been a Russian LEAP scholar since 2012 and has a cross-training language in Mandarin Chinese. She has completed two Russian Language Intensive Training Events, four Russian eMentors, one Chinese eMentor, and one Spanish eMentor.
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Emily Stith Capt. Emily Stith is a 38F (Force Support Officer) who has been a Japanese Language Enabled Airman Program scholar since 2016. Her father was a career U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer, and as the story of the military child goes, she was born overseas in Okinawa, Japan. After a short stateside
LEAP Spotlight: Maj Regis Zozo My Air Force Culture and Language Center training has helped me understand the vital triad effect between the military, government, and the population when it comes to the fight against violent extremism.
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Byron Muhlenberg The Language Enabled Airman Program is an indispensable program that enables our Airmen to expand their cultural understanding and make operational and strategic impacts well beyond their immediate career field. My journey as a LEAP scholar began as a freshman at the U.S. Air Force Academy, but the
eMentor Spotlight: Capt. Brady Gough In 2009, I began studying at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona. I wasn’t just a student but also a cadet in the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps.
LEAP Spotlight: Capt. Fiona Akoth “My story starts in a rural town in western Kenya, which is on the eastern side of Africa. I grew up in Kisumu City, right off the coast of Lake Victoria, and when I was 13, we moved to the United States. I went to middle and high school in Texas, and it was at that time that I learned about the
AFCLC’s Language Enabled Airman Program: A strategy for improving pilot retention In 2016, retired Air Force Chief of Staff General David Goldfein publicly called the United States Air Force’s pilot shortage a crisis. At the time, the Air Force was reportedly short 1,500 pilots. According to reports, the Air Force still needs an estimated 2,100 pilots – and many say that number
LEAP Spotlight: SSgt Giancarlo Cintron “I am Staff Sergeant Giancarlo Cintron, and I am an Aircraft Hydraulics Systems Regional Training Center Instructor at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
LEAP Spotlight: Capt Richard Scherl Capt. Richard Scherl is an 11M (Mobility Pilot) who has been a Spanish Language Enabled Airman Program scholar since 2017.
LEAP Spotlight: MSgt Svetlana Alviar Watch as Air Force Research Laboratory MSgt Svetlana Alviar shares her LEAP experiences.
LEAP Spotlight: Capt Christine Martinez “Currently, I am so lucky to be a Spanish and Portuguese instructor at the U.S. Air Force Academy. We talk to our cadets often about the Language Enabled Airman Program and the opportunities it provides.
CMSgt Angel Milan: “LEAP is the weapons school for languages.” CMSgt Angel Milan will soon celebrate 25 years of service in the U.S. Air Force. With more than eight years in the Air Force Culture and Language Center’s Language Enabled Airman Program, he couldn’t imagine doing anything else. He said he has the perfect job.
LEAP Spotlight: Lt Col Daniel Schoeni From August 2017 to August 2019, Spanish LEAP scholar and JAG officer Lt Col Daniel Schoeni was the Chief of Security Cooperation at 12 AF (AFSOUTH)/JA, and participated in 17 TDYs held in Latin America.
LEAP Spotlight: TSgt Nikola Bozic, Capt Daniel Bergstresser, and Capt Victoria Villa Hundreds of Airmen across Joint Base San Antonio are currently enrolled in the Language Enabled Airman Program.
LEAP Spotlight: Maj Adam Bergoo “I was born in Sweden and grew up speaking the language at home. I started learning Spanish in middle school and continued to develop it as a cadet at the United States Air Force Academy, where I met my wife. She was an exchange cadet from Colombia, so that was one of the things that first drew us
LEAP Spotlight: MSgt Andre De Lira In a post on Facebook on 4 December, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass acknowledged Language Enabled Airman Program Scholar MSgt Andre De Lira. CMSAF Bass wrote:
LEAP Spotlight: Ramstein Airmen LEAP into learning new languages The Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP) is beneficial to the U.S. Air Force across worldwide relations and for interoperability.
LEAP Spotlight: 1st Lt Josh Edelman “I am an Aircraft Maintenance Officer and having the ability to see the missions we fly every day with the C-17, I noticed we were heavily involved in SOUTHCOM.
LEAP Spotlight:1st Lt Rachel Olvera Quinn 1st Lt Rachel Quinn has been a Spanish Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP) Scholar since 2018. While born in Raleigh, NC, she moved to Mexico City with her father when she was 3 years old and grew up speaking Spanish.
LEAP Spotlight: SMSgt Selma Stinson Earlier this year, Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP) scholar SMSgt Selma Stinson was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal, along with LEAP scholar TSgt Ana Cruz, for their Spanish language support on the USNS Comfort in Santa Marta, Colombia, in November 2019.
eMentor Spotlight: Maj Richard Uber “I joined LEAP in 2011. As a LEAP scholar, I have continued growing and developing in the study of foreign language and culture while advancing in my primary job as an Operations Research Analyst. Through LEAP, I have participated in several e-Mentor classes, including two special projects classes,
LEAP Spotlight: Capt Panupong Phongpitakvises LF Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) is an annual exercise consisting of a series of bilateral training evolutions between the U.S. and several Southeast Asian countries, in which U.S. Marines and Sailors train cross-culturally with service members of these nations.
LEAP Spotlight: 1st Lt Kent Romney “Although I had picked up Ukrainian from studying Russian and living in Ukraine for a couple of years, it was not until I enrolled into the Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP) that I received any formal Ukrainian language study.
LEAP Spotlight: MSgt Oleksiy Redko “There are approximately 7,000 different languages and dialects in the world and thanks to my foreign background, I can freely communicate in three of them (English, Ukrainian, and Russian). However, during my involvement with the Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP), I realized that there are
LEAP Spotlight: Maj Jacob Jensen “I joined the Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP) in 2010. I learned Portuguese while living in Brazil for two years doing community service before joining the Air Force. As a LEAP scholar, I was allowed to grow my language capabilities and go on a Language Intensive Training Event (LITE) in 2011
LEAP Spotlight: Lt Kate Thormann “The Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP) is an incredible program that will most definitely help shape U.S. relations with other countries and determine the U.S.’s competitive edge in the global arena.
LEAP Spotlight: MSgt Andrés F. Moreno-Rojas “A few years ago, I was accepted into the Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP) and since then, I have had the distinct pleasure of partaking in two eMentor courses and one Language Intensive Training Event (LITE) to Bogota, Colombia, as well as a quick turn translation support for SOUTHCOM’s
LEAP Spotlight: Capt Viktor Belov Capt Viktor Belov has been a Russian LEAP scholar since he was a 2d Lt. As a LEAP scholar, he increased his language proficiency through Language Intensive Training Events (LITEs) in Latvia and Ukraine as well as online language training through eMentor.
LEAP Spotlight: Maj Theodore Shillig Maj Theodore Shillig is a 62E (Developmental Engineer) who has been a Japanese LEAP scholar since 2011. He began his language training during a two-year immersion in Japan. During this time, the focus was solely on learning to speak.
LEAP Spotlight: 2nd Lt Katherine Scheibner Meet the Air Force Culture and Language Center’s (AFCLC) first United States Space Force (USSF) scholar 2nd Lieutenant Katherine Scheibner.
LEAP Spotlight: Maj Sofia Ciro "The Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP) is more than just a program to me. It is being part of an elite community inside the Air Force. I learn and develop personally and professionally every day and can contribute to the Air Force's mission in a unique way.
LEAP Spotlight: Maj Evgenia Peduzzi We would like to congratulate our LEAP Scholar Maj Evgenia “Hazel” Peduzzi, who not only just promoted from Captain to Major on Friday, 29 May 2020, but she’s also about to begin her new job as Aide de Camp to the Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, Gen. Stephen W. Wilson, the second
LEAP Spotlight: SSgt Dainius Milingis “Being a Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP) scholar has awarded me with multiple opportunities to serve in the United States Air Force beyond my primary career field as a logistician.
LEAP Spotlight: Capt Thien Duong Recently, an overseas unit lost an Airman of Vietnamese heritage. Due to the proximity of the Airman’s family, Barksdale AFB Mortuary Affairs was responsible for assisting the family through the ordeal.
LEAP Spotlight: MSgt Alain Mukendi “Last June, AFCLC and LEAP gave me the opportunity to assist the U.S. Army Cadet Command summer program in a six-week training mission to the Republic of Congo as linguistic and cultural regional subject matter expert.
LEAP Spotlight: Capt Lesly Toussaint “I’ve been in the Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP) for six years now and I speak Haitian Creole, French, and English. Professionally, AFCLC helped me develop insight and critical thinking within my primary AFSC.
Facing the Future with Perpetual Optimism One of 2nd Lt Stephenie Reid’s favorite quotes is from retired U.S. Army Gen. Colin Powell: “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.” According to Reid, “it encourages me to stay positive. I always try to remember the importance of having positivity and enthusiasm with others and oneself,
LEAP Spotlight: 1st Lt Stefan Curcic I encourage anyone who has a gift with a certain language set to check out the Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP)
LEAP Spotlight: 1st Lt Gorge Hernandez-Rodriguez When 1st Lieutenant Gorge Hernandez-Rodriguez enlisted in 2008, he was living in Puerto Rico, struggling financially, and looking for a way to support himself through college. Rodriguez knew the Air Force would afford him those opportunities, but he had no idea that his commitment and his language
LEAP Spotlight: Maj. Reni Angelova The Language Enabled Airman Program, or LEAP, is a career-spanning program designed to identify, develop, and sustain America's foreign language and cultural capabilities to cultivate cross-culturally competent leaders who can meet Air Force global mission requirements. In this feature, LEAP
