Jet engine mechanic wins language award

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Senior Airman Michael Abrash was recently selected as the Air Force Language Professional of the Year for 2011. Although Abrash earned this linguistic honor, he joined the Air Force in a completely different role: a jet engine mechanic. (U.S. Air Force photo)
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Jet engine mechanic wins language award

Posted 2/6/2012

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by Karen Harrison
Language, Region and Culture Program Office

2/6/2012 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Since 2002, the Air Force has awarded outstanding Airmen who possess superior foreign language skills and leveraged their capabilities to increase the Air Forces's mission effectiveness.

Senior Airman Michael Abrash was recently selected as the Air Force Language Professional of the Year for 2011.

Although Abrash earned this linguistic honor, he joined the Air Force in a completely different role: a jet engine mechanic. Being a naturalized U.S. citizen since 2000, Abrash was not aware that his proficiency in Russian could help his career.

Abrash self-identified his language skills to the Air Force, even though he was not using them on a daily basis at work. He continued to maintain his language capability at the required level and thus was available to fill an important Air Force personnel gap.

"There was a shortage of Russian enabled linguists seven months ago to fill a slot in Kyrgyzstan," Abrash said. "So the Air Force sent a mechanic who happens to know Russian."

Although Abrash is modest regarding his language skills, his accomplishments abroad did not go unnoticed.

According to Col. James Jacobson, the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, "Airman Abrash fulfilled a critical role as a military linguist for the Transit Center as Manas, Kygyzstan. We used his language skills on a daily basis to accomplish the Transit Center's most vital missions."

Specifically, Abrash oversaw 5,000 guests through 39 U.S. and Kyrgyz socio-cultural events; provided a critical link for security as the wing's interpreter to the Kyrgyz president's Secret Service; managed 12 information exchanges involving six different Kyrgyz ministries; and enabled proper validation of 16 humanitarian aid projects that generated over $4 million in the Bishkek area.

Abrash's personal initiative shows the benefits of learning and sustaining LRC skills, officials said.

"The recent deployment opened my eyes to the different things I could be doing in the Air Force," Abrash said. "This deployment might shape the rest of my career."

The Air Force recognizes the need to have Airmen with cultural and linguistic knowledge in order to properly respond to the dynamic challenges of today's world, said Barbara Barger, the Air Force Senior Language Authority. Airmen with language, region and culture skills increase the effectiveness of Air Force operational capabilities both at home and abroad, she added.

"Senior Airman Abrash's success illustrates why the Air Force is placing such an emphasis on having cross culturally competent Airmen," Barger said. "Abrash's language skills and cultural knowledge help strengthen communication and collaboration between American and Kyrgyz personnel."

Abrash said he recognizes the critical role his language, region and culture knowledge plays in fulfilling his own duties.

"My cultural knowledge allows me to see more clearly the different aspects of a military force and how it affects everything in the world," he said.

Comments

2/13/2012 8:14:59 PM ET
X2 - did you become an X2 because you can't speak your language anymore X2s are just laptop operators now. Push button get bannana.

BS, KS

2/11/2012 4:16:18 PM ET
Seeing all the hardcore Linguists jump on the we carry the AF bandwagon is almost as hilarious as seeing AF band members trying to tell us how tough and physically demanding their jobs are. Get over yourselves.

CE, On the floor laughing

2/10/2012 6:38:01 PM ET
The only thing more amusing than this article are the comments. Nick you make valid points however you're taking this way too seriously it's just standard ops welcome to the armed forces. Good on this Abrash kid for being useful it's something that the majority of people commenting on this thread have no knowledge of. Chris what are you 12? Oh that's right Navy the majority of special in Indiana tends to be short bus related but i'll give you the benefit of the doubt on that. Funny thing though most special operators are actually quite pleased with the results linguists get them. Great part is those who make it through the airborne linguist pipeline can generally do any other career field unfortunately the same can't be said for those other career fields.

X1toX2, KAF

2/10/2012 8:09:35 AM ET
y'alls postin in a troll thread.

ImOnlyTwelveandWhatisthis, thebasement

2/9/2012 6:39:48 PM ET
Unbelievable. What, is the Air Force approved discipline equivalent to when I send my kid to his room with no dessert for acting like a petulant child? Whatever that is please apply this to Nickolas. You have confirmed every belief I have about the linguist community being a bunch of prima donnas. You want extremely difficult training then come over to Special Warfare my friend. People with your attitude are gone in a week.

Chris Kimball, Indiana

2/9/2012 5:23:33 PM ET
@Sgt Snuffy, try saying that to a linguist's face. They wouldn't hesitate to take a bat'leth to you. On a more serious note, you're completely off. Linguist training is the most rigorous and mentally challenging course that I have ever undertaken.

OldRusskiLingiust, Scott

2/9/2012 4:02:08 PM ET
Hopefully other native speakers can be drawn into the Air Force. These folks have unique talents that just can't be taught. Congrats to SrA Abrash for stepping up when called upon and performing excellently.

BS, KS

2/9/2012 1:52:20 PM ET
While I certainly give props to SrA Abrash for stepping up to fill a shortfall -a shortfall created by the AF itself I know linguists who are literally saving lives every single day in Afghanistan. I am sure the work was challenging for SrA Abrash and beneficial to the overall mission but comparing that to what I've personally seen I can appreciate where it's a hard pill for some linguists to swallow. That's not to say they shouldn't go back to LARPing but I get the complaint. Kudos to SrA Abrash for stepping up

Dave, Washington DC

2/9/2012 1:19:55 PM ET
I have to agree with Nickolas on this one. Although I will congratulate and commend SrA Abrash for his duties this does give a slap on the face for all the 1N3's and 1A8's who had to work their butts off through Monterey to become a linguists. And not to mention keeping proficient in their languages at the same doing their work. And trust me if you're not a native speaker the DLPT can be quite stressful considering your AFSC is on the line every time you take that test.

Ssgt 1N3, Ft. Gordon

2/9/2012 11:43:38 AM ET
But guys you don't know Linguists are the workhorses of the Air Force Without them jets would not fly the terrorists would win and Blizzard would go out of business

Airman Poppy, Langley AFB

2/9/2012 3:21:59 AM ET
Nickolas being at Monterey for a year and a half is not extremely difficult training. SrA Abrash deserves to be commended. He deployed to do a job outside of his normal duties and did well enough to be notice by the WG CC. Stop whining and get back to drinking Mountain Dew and playing WoW.

Sgt Snuffy, SWA

2/9/2012 1:43:55 AM ET
The title has Professional in it. That means more than just capable of speaking a language. Try looking up THAT word sometime Nickolas. Whatever language you prefer.

Bear, Shaw

2/9/2012 12:17:43 AM ET
Nickolas way to put your foot in your mouth and make the rest of your career field look like idiots.

Dunce Cap Review Board, Not DLI

2/9/2012 12:12:13 AM ET
NickolasYou seem jealous. This is not a trait that is on par with the expectations of our Air Force today. Please re evaluate yourself and stop being so jelly.

ujellybro, SWA

2/8/2012 2:56:09 PM ET
Congrats SrA Abrash for stepping up to the plate

G2 Florida, Eglin AFB Florida

2/8/2012 1:56:54 PM ET
There was a shortage of Russian enabled linguists seven months ago to fill a slot in Kyrgyzstan Abrash said. So the Air Force sent a mechanic who happens to know Russian. Sounds like the USAF sought him out not the other way around. Be proud that we have such talented and selfless Airmen in our ranks that are willing to step outside their comfort zones and help to compliment and strengthen our mission no matter where it calls us or what it may be. Congratulations Senior Airman Abrash

The Shirt, NC

2/8/2012 11:55:28 AM ET
SrA Abrash deployed out of his career field to fill an Air Force need and did an outstanding job Clearly above and beyond so stop hating

JW, CA

2/8/2012 10:05:29 AM ET
Nickolas your whining is commensurate with that of the super duper special group of linguists that believe they are the tip of the spear. Face the facts that there are things DLI cant teach you that a native speaker already has. Grow up. You're not that special even though you have a trophy for being born.

Same, Here

2/7/2012 7:32:56 PM ET
Kudos to Senior Airman Abrash for utilizing his proficiency in Russian to further his AF career and Bravo for the USAF's recognition of this

John Tkachuk Ch Maj USAFR, Montral Qubec Canada

2/7/2012 5:32:18 PM ET
Better hope the DoD doesn't start prorating Foreign Language Pay at 7.50 only on days the foreign language is spoken. But I'm sure there are many cunning linguist who would be able to game the system.

DC, MD

2/7/2012 2:22:03 PM ET
This is a slap in the face to the USAF professional linguist cadre. Airmen who endured extremely difficult training and high stress job environments while being subject to the intense oversight of maintianing their clearances and enduring constant scrutiny to pass their annual language proficiency testing. Rather than recognize one of those professional military linguists who certainly deserves recognition the award was given to a NATIVE SPEAKER in a high profile diplomatic job. To put this in perspective it would be like giving the Air Force Jet Engine Maintenance Professional of the Year award to Jimmy Neutron because holy crap is he good at building engines. Well of course he's good at building jet engines he's been doing it since he was a kid Did SrA Abrash do a great job certainly but if the USAF wants to make a category of awards for native linguists fine go ahead and do that but they are not the same as Military Professional Linguists. The selection board owes an apology to

Nickolas, Texas

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