African Partnership Flight-Djibouti taps into AF language capability

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Wilson
  • U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Public Affairs
Two U.S. Airmen from the Language Enabled Airman Program are assigned to African Partnership Flight-Djibouti as French interpreters here Feb. 7-11.

The mission of APF-Djibouti is to strengthen partnerships and increase interoperability among the East African nations of Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. However, English is not a primary language in Burundi or Djibouti.

Although there are translators for the workshop portion, having an American who can speak the host nation language, makes a positive impression on the participants.

"You get that shock factor," said Capt. Rhoshonda McGruder, LEAP interpreter. "You get that 'wow, they are really trying and they care enough to bring somebody out here that I can really talk to.'"

The interpreters arrived in Djibouti with the advanced team and have been helping APF-Djibouti leadership coordinate everything from transportation to catering, according to Maj. Dirk Casson, APF-Djibouti mission commander.

McGruder recounted one specific experience dealing with the lodging staff for our African partners.

"When we went to the Sheraton to help set up, the stress level was rising because it's mentally fatiguing to always concentrate and think of that foreign language," she said.

That's when McGruder stepped in.

"Hey you speak French. I speak French too," she said to the hotel staff member.

"Her face lit up, her shoulders relaxed and we were able to continue."

Because of the capacity, language-enabled Airmen bring to the mission, LEAP members are a standard force capability included in African Partnership Flight planning.

"Without a doubt, they are equal to every member of my team," said Casson. "I have used them for everything you could possibly use a translator for and everyone of them has gone above and beyond what I've expected."

Members of LEAP are especially valued because in addition to their language skills, they bring cultural training and functional expertise to the mission.

"The LEAP personnel are not only speaking the language but are seeing the nonvisual clues," said Casson. "Not only do you get the culture and language, you also add another perspective to the team. Other than their language they also bring a background on their specific (Air Force Specialty Code)."

But the additional expertise on the team is not the greatest benefit provided by language-enabled Airman, according to Casson.

"A translator is a translator and that's what they are," he said. "When a LEAP person does it, it's a U.S. Air Force American doing it and it just goes well beyond a translator.

"I can't give enough praise to LEAP in the three missions I have done."