Team BLAZE international students attend social

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman John Day
  • 14th Flying training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Team BLAZE hosted a social for international students in pilot training April 22, 2017, at the Columbus Club here.

Columbus AFB has a large international training program with students from 21 different countries participating in SUPT, Aviation Leadership Program and Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals.

International students attend SUPT under two different programs, Foreign Military Sales and ALP. FMS is a broad-reaching program that covers everything from purchasing weapons systems to training operations and maintenance personnel to use them.

ALP is an aviation scholarship funded by the Secretary of the Air Force. Not only does Columbus train pilots, but also future foreign air force leaders. This builds relationships throughout the world for years to come.

ALP students only fly the T-6 aircraft, but train using a more extensive syllabus. They will spend roughly twice the amount of time in T-6s as a U.S. Air Force student and upon completion will receive their pilot rating.

At the social, international students, squadron commanders and group commanders gathered to get to know each other and celebrate the partnerships of the various air forces.

Attendees were encouraged to bring food and wear attire from their country of origin. Second Lt. Lea Zolnay, SUPT Class 18-01, spoke about the social for a few moments before Argentine air force 2nd Lt. Franco Zattara, Aviation Leadership Program student, currently flying with SUPT Class 17-13, presented Col. Douglas Gosney, 14th Flying Training Wing Commander, with a framed gift from all the international students. Gosney then took the floor to address all in attendance.

He talked about the importance of the partnerships between the air forces and how lucky the base is to have students from all around the world.

Afterwards, the group ate, played games and got to know students they may not have met.