MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, ALA. -- After a virtual selection board process this spring, the Air Force Culture and Language Center selected 89 Cadets for the Language Enabled Airman Program out of 137 applicants. Of the 89 Cadets selected, 47 were chosen from the United States Air Force Academy and 42 from Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps in 16 languages.
This year marked the third consecutive year candidates were selected for LEAP from a branch other than the U.S. Air Force; four of the LEAP selectees will eventually enter the U.S. Space Force.
Participation in LEAP is voluntary and highly competitive. To become a LEAP scholar, Airmen and Guardians must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language specified on the Air Force Strategic Language List, receive an endorsement from their unit commander, and compete via a board process. Selection to LEAP is based on applicants’ existing language proficiency, potential to achieve higher levels of language proficiency, and Air Force language requirements.
Below are the names of the 89 Cadets who are now members of LEAP. You can also watch our announcement video, AFCLC-TV 2022 Cadet Selection featuring Capt. Gregory Gutkin and Capt. Kalynn Mendez on AFCLC’s Facebook channel.
Arabic-Modern Standard
Sanchez, Emma
Bedford, Merrick
McDonald, Ellie
Cambodian
Pech, Boreth
Chinese-Mandarin
Chedzoy, Maria
Cheng, Daniel
Cooley, Jake
Cunningham, Chandler
Gray, Liam
Kan, Alvin
Moy, Allen
Smiley, Trevor
Tran, Long
Zheng, Felix
French
Biery, George
Bourdeau, Wedgide
Bowen, Camille
Brody, Samuel
Cheatham, Hannah
Crosby, Timothy
Ellinger, Molly
Hammalian, Kyle
Hong, Joshua
Niemi, Lauren
Plate, Brendan
Sims, Anna
Van Houten, Claire
German
Grebe, Catherine
Hawes, Felicita
Singer, Rebecca
Story, Marlowe
Hebrew
Salinger, Gabriel
Hindi
Farjana, Maisha
Japanese
Chen, Ryan
Erickson, Ethan
Gnos, Kainoa
Jensen, Brady
Kwock, Heidi
Milham, Alexander
Patterson, Ryu
*Sakamoto, Kazuma
Stadtfeld, Eric
Korean
Kim, Hanson
Kim, Joshua
Nelson, Ryan
Rho, Gloria
Song, David
Portuguese-Brazilian
Armstrong, Shayna
Booth, Ryan
Brown, Aliyah
Steiner, Kayla
Walker, Amir
Russian
Allison, Catherine
Calisto, Marimar
Creme, Daniel
Ford, Alexis
Gharst, Ethan
Howell, Brooke
Kaminski, Michael
Levin, Nestor
Nelson, Chyanna
*Nemkova Moore, Yana
Northrup, Anne
Nyfeler, Peter
Sanderson, Julia
Williams, Madison
Spanish
Alvarado, Jose
*Bluth, Jack
Cabrera, Kiara
*Campbell, Alicia
Franqui Rios, Samuel
Hansen, Sydney
Juriga, Luke
Kamp, Paul
Kolligs, Nathaniel
Laboe, Elizabeth
Lobiondo, Christian
Margiotta, Christopher
Marrero, Paula
Mayfield, Aaron
Moura, Camacho
Murillo, Nicole
Winward, Christian
Swahili
Haskiell, Alexis
Taskerud, Tanner
Thai
Johnson, Benjamin
Ukrainian
Catlett, Joseph
Lambos, Victoria
Urdu
Rudd, Fawaz
*Denotes U.S. Space Force