Pilots Had To Become Fluent In English Before Flying The T-6

Three Afghan air force lieutenants will soon be returning to Afghanistan with silver wings after graduating from Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) Friday at Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas. After competing against more than 350 Afghan pilot candidates, these three are the first from their country to attend and graduate SUPT at Laughlin.

"This was a dream of mine to get my wings, and this is really exciting for me to have my dream come true," said one. "I'm proud of myself, but I'm also proud of my instructors whose vision was to see us get our wings. I'm proud of my country and proud of the United States government, especially the Air Force, for providing this opportunity for our dreams to come true."

The USAF says the three faced a tremendous journey prior to their arrival here. As part of the selection process, the Afghans went through physical fitness tests, aviation and communication lessons and received flight physicals. They were then sent to the Defense Language Institute English Learning Center at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, to learn the English language.

According to one of the lieutenants, SUPT candidates attended the most advanced English classes and were required to be completely fluent before attending pilot training. They had one year to meet this prerequisite, and not everyone passed.

Even after making it to Laughlin, one of the Afghans described SUPT as the hardest year of his life. "Pilot training keeps you busy for a full 12 hours a day," he said. "It is not hard physically, it is hard on the mind."

The trio trained in the T-6 Texan II for nearly a year, accumulating nearly 200 hours, more than 140 flights and more than 40 simulator sessions. "I flew with almost 64 instructors while I was here," one said. "I kept all of my mission data cards with all of my instructor's signatures, it is history for me."

Although the lieutenants are excited to complete the rigorous training and return home, one of the students says he will miss his instructors, friends and the American way of life. "When you guys are sleeping, you don't have a loaded gun at your bedside. You don't have a gun ready in your home 24 hours a day, you don't worry about checking your six o'clock for someone following you," he says. "We do that back in Afghanistan because officer life is dangerous."

The three will next be trained back home in the C-27A Spartan by instructors from Laughlin AFB. (ANN salutes 2nd Lt. Angela Martin, 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs.)

FMI: www.af.mil