Selection Board Bolsters Enlisted Participation in Language Program

The Air Force Culture and Language Center at Maxwell AFB, Ala., released the results from its first enlisted-specific selection board for the Language-Enabled Airman Program, according to a center release. The board accepted 199 of the more than 300 enlisted candidates into the program, which encourages multilingual airmen to continue using their existing languages and offers them language-learning opportunities throughout their careers, states the July 9 release. “The program seeks to develop cross-culturally competent leaders with working-level foreign language proficiency—leaders who can meet Air Force global mission requirements,” said Zachary Hickman, AFCLC language division chief. Until recently, LEAP prospects consisted mainly of officers and officer candidates, but with the results of this selection board, the number of enlisted personnel in the program has nearly tripled, states the release. Among the enlisted airmen chosen, the most common language ability was Spanish, but other languages they know were Arabic, Greek, Japanese, Korean, Lao, Punjabi, Swahili, and Vietnamese, states the release. (Maxwell report by Jodi L. Jordan)