Page 2 - Edwards AFB Desert Wings 3-18-16

2 Desert Wings Commentary March 18, 2016
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You can go far with Air Force’s LEAP

by Maj. Tomoyuki Ono and enlisted, and at various lan- Courtesy photograph
U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School guage skill levels.
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As a member of the Language Through this experience, had the chance to participate in a Silver Flag exercise at Andersen Air Force Base last month, thanks to the Air
Enabled Airmen Program, I had translators became exception- Force’s Language Enabled Airmen Program.
the opportunity to support the ally knowledgeable on civil
¿UVWHYHU3DFL¿F3DUWQHU1DWLRQ engineering contingency opera- ficiency Interviews. Interested put in an application to the mission. Also, don’t forget the
Silver Flag exercise at Ander- tions and also got hands-on ex- Airmen should contact their lo- board. We need to make sure amazing opportunities that
son Air Force Base, Guam, last SHULHQFH¿[LQJDLU¿HOGGDPDJH F D O W H V W F R Q W U R O R I ¿ F H U X V X D O O \ that the Air Force is aware of the LEAP can provide to enhance
month as part of a two-week setting up aircraft arresting sys- ORFDWHGDWWKH(GXFDWLRQ2I¿FH capabilities that an Airmen can your language abilities and cul-
TDY. tems and how to react to chemi- to check if their language is on bring to accomplish the global tural understanding.
cal, biological, radiological and the Air Force SLL.
7KLVZDVWKH¿UVWWLPHWKH6LO- nuclear attacks. To learn more about LEAP, visit http://culture.af.mil/leap/.
ver Flag exercise was held at the All eligible Airmen should
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with students from four different gineer, I learned a lot about what
partner nations. CE Airmen do and how their
contingency operations can af-
Led by engineers from An- fect aircraft mission execution.
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Squadron, engineers from the So how did this opportunity
5R\DO$XVWUDOLDQ$LU)RUFH5H- come about for us translators?
public of Singapore Air Force,
5HSXEOLF RI .RUHD $LU )RUFH Three of the translators were
and the Japan Air Self-Defense sent through LEAP’s Lan-
Force began the exercise Feb. guage Intensive Training Event
13. (LITE). Those accepted in the
LEAP program have the oppor-
Silver Flag is a U.S. Pacific tunity to participate in LITE,
Command multilateral subject- which varies from visiting a
matter-expert exchange exercise local language school to sup-
designed to build partnerships porting military-related events.
and promote interoperability These events are sponsored by
through the exchange of civil the Air Force Culture and Lan-
engineer-related information. guage Center to enhance and
sustain the language and culture
My job was to help translate skills for the Air Force.
training materials into Japanese
and also interpret real-time dur- To become a participant in
ing the exercise, both in the LEAP, Airmen must already
FODVVURRPDQGRXWLQWKH¿HOG have moderate to high levels
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For this exercise, the team JXDJHVSHFL¿HGRQWKH$LU)RUFH
consisted of three Japanese and Strategic Language List, as
four Korean translators from dif- measured by Defense Language
IHUHQWFDUHHU¿HOGVERWKRI¿FHU Proficiency Tests or Oral Pro-

Commander’s
Action Line

email: speak2cc@edwards.af.mil

The Commander’s Action Line gives all Airmen, re-
tirees, families and community members a direct link to
Brig. Gen. Carl Schaefer, 412th Test Wing commander.
The Action Line can be used to express constructive
points of view on the policies and procedures of the
base; discuss safety and security issues; and address
problems, concerns, or suggestions after traditional
methods have been exhausted.

The Commander’s Action Line should not be the
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RIFRPPDQGDQGWDNHXSWKHPDWWHUZLWKWKHRI¿FHRI
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commanders.

Action Line queries may be submitted by sending an
e-mail to speak2cc@edwards.af.mil with Commander’s
Action Line as the subject heading or by calling (661)
277-7325. Action Line submissions must be written in
a courteous and professional tone, and must include a
name, an e-mail address or an alternative method of
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