Eligible officers can request assignment with foreign allied AF

  • Published
  • By Debbie Gildea
  • Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs
Active duty officers interested in expanding their horizons by building, sustaining, and expanding international relationships while embedded in another country's air force have until May 22 to indicate their interest on their Airman Development Plan in time for the next assignment cycle, Air Force Personnel Center officials said May 6.

The Air Force Military Personnel Exchange Program allows Airmen who qualify to serve as embedded officers in foreign nation air forces, said Sundy Muniz, AFPC special duty assignments branch.

"The program enhances our ability to perform coalition operations with global partners, who are critical enablers for expeditionary air and space forces," Muniz said. "Participants support Department of Defense, Air Force and regional combatant commanders' strategic goals."

Opportunities exist with such participating nations as Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, Canada, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Australia, Bangladesh, India, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Thailand.

Officers selected for the MPEP serve two- or three-year assignments, depending on the specific requirement. In addition to performing primary career field duties, exchange officers support U.S. national security goals by promoting mutual understanding and trust between the U.S. Air Force and foreign forces.

"Most MPEP officers gain valuable foreign language skills and in-depth international experience during their tour, so they are particularly strong candidates for future assignments as international affairs specialists or attachés," Muniz said. "However, to compete for these programs, the core career field assignment team must support release."

Applicants who are not proficient in the required language must take the Defense Language Aptitude Battery and, if selected, will attend language training before the exchange assignment.

For more information about the program, go to the myPers website. Select "search all components" in the keyword drop down menu and enter "MPEP" in the search window. To review current requirements, go to the AFPC secure site, accessible via myPers, and click on the Assignment Management System link.