Olmstead and LEAP programs

[Spartacus]

I just applied for the LEAP program and am waiting to hear back about it. Has anyone on here been involved in the LEAP program at all? Also, I have been looking into the Olmstead program, which looks awesome. On the official site it says that each service gets 10 people per year but it looks like the AF only selected 6 out of 61 last year. Anyone been involved with this as well and have some info on the process and how to get selected? Thanks!

[Muscle2002]

The AF only selects finalists for consideration by the Olmsted board...the AF doesn't select the actual Scholars. Moreover, the number selected is driven by financial capability of the Foundation and the quality of the applications.

Regarding the process: Basically, you submit a 3849 to AFPC listing the top five countries you want to study in (note: they must come from the list approved by the Foundation) along with standard PRF-type bullets from you and your Sr. rater. Your functional will decide whether to release you to compete or not at this point.

Two months later, you will submit the rest of the application (photo, resumé, personal statement, DLAB score, transcripts and letter of recommendation from your Sr. Rater and GRE scores) to AFPC for the AF board. This board selects about 15 finalists for interviews with the Foundation. From here, you will have an interview (most likely have a phone interview) with members of the Foundation's staff (some of whom are Scholars themselves) where they will make recommendations to the Board of Directors for final selection. The whole process starts with a suspense to AFPC in August and ends in March with release of the names.

Edited September 22, 2011 by Muscle2002

[ChkHandleDn]

I just applied for the LEAP program and am waiting to hear back about it. Has anyone on here been involved in the LEAP program at all? Also, I have been looking into the Olmstead program, which looks awesome. On the official site it says that each service gets 10 people per year but it looks like the AF only selected 6 out of 61 last year. Anyone been involved with this as well and have some info on the process and how to get selected? Thanks!

As far as the LEAP program is concerned, all of us that applied in my Sq were selected during the most recent board. However, there is no more funding so we're all in "unseated" status until LEAP expands. Frankly I was surprised. I only had a 0+/1 for German so I'm thinking they really want rated people in the program.

[zach braff]

Revival - just put in for LEAP this year... Anyone with any recent experience with it? Has the program and/or resources it offers helped you keep your language skillz current? What does it entail as of late? Any effect on your DLPT?

zb

[panchbarnes]

If you get picked up then expect twice-a-week online sessions with an instructor to practice the language. There will be TDY money for you to get language immersion. You will have to stay current with DLPT. After a year of language training and a current DLPT will qualify you for SEI rating. The online language training may be substituted with a language immersion TDY.

[Homestar]

I'll add on...I finished an immersion to Uruguay this summer where I attended classes for 6 hours a day 5 days a week. I've been in online LEAP classes since May twice a week for an hour each. My DLPT went from 2+/3 to 3/3 and passed the OPI with a 2. LEAP requires you to take the OPI after an immersion TDY.

3/3 in Spanish with the SEI gets me $275 a month.

[Ram]

That's a lot of cervesa to beber.

[Beaver]

We pay people for Spanish? Did the USAF run out of Puerto Ricans?

[HeloDude]

That's a lot of cervesa to beber.

If I correctly remember my high school Spanish, wouldn't what you said translate to: "That's a lot of cervesa to 'to drink'?

We pay people for Spanish?

Because we're housing a lot of illegals from Cental America on military bases...

[Gravedigger]

If I correctly remember my high school Spanish, wouldn't what you said translate to: "That's a lot of cervesa to 'to drink'?

Si. Vamos hablar el verbo beber, significa "to drink."

Pero, en Spanglish conjugating verbs no es necesario.

Posted from the NEW Baseops.net App!

[pbar]

@Beaver, the way it was explained to me is we teach Spanish, Talagog, Korean, etc. because so many of the native speakers can't get SCI clearances for whatever reasons. Also, the LEAP program is designed to get you to a translator level which most native speakers aren't at so hence the pay even for common languages AFAIK.