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Air Force ROTC cadets embrace foreign language and culture initiatives
Posted 6/22/2011
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by Kathryn Gustafson
Language, Region and Culture Program Office
6/22/2011 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Each year, the Arnold Air Society hosts a three-day conference for its Air Force ROTC members from across the U.S.
This year, amidst the standard briefings, skits and breakout sessions, 650 cadets were afforded the opportunity to learn about Air Force foreign language programs such as the Language Enabled Airman Program and Project Global Officer, officials said here June 21.
"Today's global engagements speak to the necessity for foreign language proficiency, regional expertise and cultural awareness," said Thomas Shubert, the Air Force Language, Region and Culture Program office deputy director.
"There's instant credibility when you have the ability to speak the language of the country you're going into," said Maj. Dan King, a fighter pilot and current Chinese regional affairs strategist officer.
"LEAP does it right because the Air Force recognizes language takes time to learn," he said. "It's not just-in-time training."
Program officials said LEAP builds upon current foreign language capabilities and affords participants the opportunity to maintain their skills and participate in language intensive training events every few years.
For cadets like Estelle Baik, a junior from Boston College, prior foreign language can be beneficial to the Air Force. Cadet Baik is a heritage Korean speaker who also lived in Russia for 10 years with her parents. As a result, she speaks fluent Korean and Russian.
"It's critical to the Air Force's operational success that an individual, such as Cadet Baik, with an unusual set of language skills and experience combined with a passion to serve her nation is utilized effectively in support of the Air Force's global mission," Mr. Shubert said.
Cadet Baik said after graduation she plans to pursue Russian regional studies at graduate school and return to the country as a Project Global Officer participant.
Project Global Officer, a Department of Defense-sponsored foreign language program, is available to all U.S. ROTC cadets and enables them to travel globally where critical languages are spoken.
"One of our goals is to get (cadets) to make friends throughout the world," said Laurie Wax, a Project Global Officer liaison.
This generation of officer is changing the world, she said. They can use language and communication to make the world a better place.
2nd Lt. Madison Scaccia, a newly commissioned officer, moved to San Diego to attend the Project Global Officer Arabic program.
"My knowledge in the language has made it possible for me to travel in the Middle East with confidence, as well as understand the culture which has become so important to our military in recent years, she said.
"The Air Force prides itself in its ability to cultivate officers who understand the cultures of the countries with which the United States is involved, and I hope to someday identify myself as such an officer," Lieutenant Scaccia said.
"We need to take language seriously from day one until the day we retire," Major King said. "Language means understanding the culture and region in which the operator is engaged and understanding the minds of those whom we engage is a force multiplier." |
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