International students at AFIT experience challenges, rewards
About 35 of them work with U.S. counterparts

By Sandy Simison 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

International military students are expected to meet the same high standards for degree completion as American officers at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT). In addition to the challenges of formal military education, the students must also adjust to language and cultural differences when completing their Master&rsquo s or Doctorate of Philosophy degrees.
 
Maj. Luciano Santos, Brazilian Air Force, from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, will receive his Master&rsquo s degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from the Department of Operational Sciences and will go into economics and finance. According to Santos, education is important to his career. The addition of the AFIT degree is prestigious and has proven to be an excellent opportunity to make contacts.

&ldquo My program was really hard, with a lot of studies to do, but we tried to enjoy our time here as well,&rdquo said Santos. &ldquo The kind of support I received goes far beyond what I would expect from an educational institution.&rdquo

Annette Robb, a University of Dayton graduate, is the director of the International Military Support Office (IMSO) at AFIT and is level III certified in international affairs. IMSO has approximately 35 international students working side-by-side with their American counterparts.

Robb controls the Congressionally mandated field studies program, assisting students on cultural trips in and around the area that includes a yearly trip to Washington, D.C., for incoming students. She aides in the admissions process, academic records, training reports and getting the students back to country.

Robb runs a loan closet for students to borrow furniture and other household items while at AFIT. She encourages students to take care of their studies but, as much as possible, enjoy their time in residence.

In addition to educating international students in a specific field, AFIT&rsquo s goal, according to Robb, is for the students to return home with an understanding of the responsibility of governments to protect, preserve and respect the rights of all individuals.

&ldquo We want to build lasting military relationships with the international community,&rdquo said Robb. &ldquo These are all the military members who will be working together, flying together, fighting together. It&rsquo s not just about the U.S. Air Force it&rsquo s about the global air force.&rdquo

Flight Lt. Kate Yaxley, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) from Adelaide, Australia, another one of Robb&rsquo s students, will receive her Master&rsquo s degree from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. She will go into joint electronic warfare operational support.

Yaxley said her experience has been great and other students make the area feel like home away from home.

She has two children, with the oldest being in the Beavercreek school system. Her husband is a stay-at-home father, affording her the opportunity to finish her studies at AFIT. Her daughter was advanced a grade when she first arrived and really struggled. Her teacher, Carolyn Wade, at Main Elementary School cared and gave her such support she is now excelling.

Santos&rsquo son couldn&rsquo t speak English when he arrived in the area. With the support of the school system, he now speaks fluently. According to Santos, it is hard to distinguish him from other children at his school.

Both Yaxley and Santos meet with international officers from around the base who offer each other support and compare notes on adjusting to American life.

One adjustment for Yaxley was learning to drive on the opposite side of the road. She would catch herself going to the wrong side of the car and getting in only to realize the steering wheel was on the other side. For Santos, the weather was an adjustment. He had the opportunity to experience one of the worst winters here on record last year. He was advised to practice ice and snow driving in a parking lot before attempting to drive on the roads.

The AFIT community assists students with housing and transportation needs and every other aspect to help them get settled. AFIT provides relevant defense-focused technical graduate and professional continuing education, research and consultation.
 

Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) International Military Support Office Director Annette Robb (standing) speaks with current international students on an upcoming field studies program trip to Washington, D.C. Along with their school studies, international students are also immersed in the cultural aspects of American life.
(Air Force photos by Sandy Simison)

Robb (center) stands with Flight Lt. Kate Yaxley, Royal Australian Air Force (left), and Maj. Luciano Santos, Brazilian Air Force. Both Yaxley and Santos will graduate from AFIT in 2015.