BMT extended, NCOS to learn new languages

Airman, Spring, 2006 by Julie Weckerlein

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Civilians wanting to be Airmen are going to have to tough it out for an additional two and a half weeks at basic military training.

Airmen graduating from BMT are going to be better trained and better equipped to be war fighters, said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley.

"My belief is that every Airman should be ready the minute they graduate for the air expeditionary force that is today's Air Force," he said. "We demand a lot of those kids when they get out into the field, and they have to be better prepared for the challenges they face out there."

The additional weeks will give more time for Airmen to be trained on war-fighting skills they would encounter in a deployed combat location, such as the use of small arms and emergency medical skills.

New Airmen will not be the only ones getting trained for global and expeditionary warfare. Senior non-commissioned officers and field grade officers will soon be required to take up language training as part of their professional military training.

Starting next year, students at the Air University and the Senior NCO Academies will be required to take one of four languages: Arabic, French, Spanish and Chinese.

According to the general, the more robust education is designed "to prepare them to be leaders in this global war on terror. [The language training] will enable them to go to other countries, not only in the [Middle East], but in the sub-Sahara, and be able to better work in those regions."

Staff Sgt. Julie Weckerlein Air Force Print News