Photo By Tech. Sgt. Dustin Mullen | U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Mirta Jones, 346th Air Expeditionary Group anti-terrorism...... read more read more
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During Exercise New Horizons 2018, U.S. military members interact heavily with local citizens throughout Meteti and the surrounding communities. With Spanish being the primary language of most citizens, one Air Force program is proving to be a force multiplier for mission effectiveness.
The Language Enabled Airman Program allows Airmen proficient in foreign languages to become translators and gain greater opportunities to serve in roles allowing them to utilize their language skills. The program is designed and managed by the Air Force Culture and Language Center and is designed to sustain, enhance and posture for utilization of the existing language skills and talents of Airmen.
“It has helped me a lot in the short amount of time I have been in the program. Through the program, I have learned how to properly write and express myself in Spanish, where as it used to be very limited,” said Master Sgt. Mirta Jones, 346th Air Expeditionary Group anti-terrorism officer. “I applied [for the program], and it took about year to get accepted, but ever since then I have it on my résumé and it has helped get me opportunities like this one at New Horizons.”
Jones is currently deployed from the Air Force Installation & Mission Support Center, Det. 3, out of Hurlburt Field, Florida. She is originally from Puerto Rico, where she spent the first 18 years of her life. Once she moved to the United States, she spent two years learning and developing her English, then joined the Air Force.
“When I left Puerto Rico, I knew high school level Spanish,” Jones said. “I needed to elevate my Spanish to a professional level and LEAP has allowed me to do that.”
Jones is one of 2,411 Airmen currently enrolled in the LEAP program. For Airmen such as Jones, LEAP allows them to become more effective with not just their career field, but enhance relations between the U.S. military and communities around the world.
As part of the training required to be accepted into the program, Jones spent a month in Peru during an Intensive Training Event, which allowed her to attend a university and better develop her language.
“The program sets you up with a family who hosts you,” Jones said. “You live with them, eat with them and during the day, you go to class. The teachers don’t speak English, so it forces you to learn.”
During her month there, Jones was able to spread her story to the local people.
“In Peru, since it was non-military event, it exposed the Peruvian people to the Air Force story,” Jones said. “They were very impressed by how the Air Force treats their Airmen, sending them to overseas universities to better develop their language skills. All of the professors and people there were very interested and I was able to bring my Air Force story to them.”
For Exercise New Horizons 2018, Jones’ language skills help her enhance relationships between the U.S. military and the local communities they are working in.
“I love serving on the New Horizons team as an antiterrorism officer and helping translate and interpret for our Airmen, Marines and Soldiers,” Jones said. “My language skills have helped enhance interoperability between the New Horizons team and SENAFRONT, (the Panamanian National Border Service). It has helped create a solid and safe environment for our forces to get the mission accomplished.”
| Date Taken: | 04.18.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 04.18.2018 22:00 |
| Story ID: | 273604 |
| Location: | METETI, PA |
| Web Views: | 148 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Air Force LEAP Enhances Exercise New Horizons 2018, by TSgt Dustin Mullen, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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