"A great deal can be said about why IAAFA is important and how it engenders and strengthens the international partnerships that are a crucial component of U.S. national defense planning and strategy, or how it enables our international partners to improve and refine their own defense capabilities."George Gagnon, Air Education and Training Command International Training and Education Director
The Inter-American Air Forces Academy’s mission, Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas, is to provide military education and training to military personnel of eligible partner nations. To accomplish this, IAAFA partners with 23 countries to teach 32 curricula to include professional military education, aircrew training and technical training.
“A great deal can be said about why IAAFA is important and how it engenders and strengthens the international partnerships that are a crucial component of U.S. national defense planning and strategy, or how it enables our international partners to improve and refine their own defense capabilities. The main reason, however, that IAAFA is both truly special and vitally important in terms of U.S. national interests can be gleaned from its name (Inter-American Air Forces Academy). This unique DoD organization, authorized by 10 USC §349, is the only military school in the world focused entirely on providing high-quality Air Force technical training and professional military education to personnel from Central American, South American and Caribbean countries,” said George Gagnon, Air Education and Training Command international training and education director.
Airman Magazine initially photographed and interviewed these students and instructors on their very first day of a 12-week Pilot Instrument Procedure Course, or PIP-C, offered by IAAFA. In this follow-up, we photographed and interviewed them days ahead of their graduation.
Capt. Johanna Santacruz
Ecuadorian Air Force
Watch on DVIDS
Capt. Johanna Santacruz is a transport and intelligence and reconnaissance pilot in the Ecuadorian Air Force and is currently in the Inter-American Air Forces Academy’s Pilot Instrument Procedures Course. “I have learned a lot of novel things here at IAAFA,”Santacruz explained. “I have garnered the experience to read more and learn more about certain instruments here that I will take back and implement with my teammates and the future generations as well.”
First Lt. José Montagno
Uruguayan Air Force
Watch on DVIDS
First Lt. José Montagno is a pilot in the Second Air Brigade in the Uruguayan Air Force and is currently in the Inter-American Air Forces Academy’s Pilot Instrument Procedures Course. “Learning is very imperative for me,” Montagno explained. “Taking all of that information and knowledge back to Uruguay will enable me to become a better person and pass on the information to my subordinates and my teammates.”
"The academy has been here for over 75 years. Students have been coming for that time and some of these students end up becoming the chief of staff of their air force or at least in very high positions. That’s how enduring long-term relationships are built and our course is a small piece.”Albert Nieves, PIP-C Lead Instructor
“The academy has been here for over 75 years. Students have been coming for that time and some of these students end up becoming the chief of staff of their air force or at least in very high positions. That’s how enduring long-term relationships are built and our course is a small piece,” explained Albert Nieves, PIP-C lead instructor. “We share a geographical state with our neighbors and since the early days, we’ve learned that our neighbors are our safety network. By having the students come here, we’re getting to understand our neighbors, we’re talking to our neighbors and we’re learning from them. Both parties making that effort to travel, teach and instruct is what builds those relationships, it’s what builds trust so when the crisis does come or when it comes time to select your partner of choice, it turns out to be the United States.”
Capt. Mario Garces
Colombian Air Force
Watch on DVIDS
Capt. Mario Garces is a helicopter pilot from the Colombian Air Force and is currently in the Inter-American Air Forces Academy’s Pilot Instrument Procedures Course. “One of the most memorable things I will take back to Colombia is the partnerships and the friendships I built with my classmates,” Garces emphasized. “Classmates that come from several countries and different nationalities. We come together, even through the hard times within our class, to try to tackle the obstacles and the challenges that the course brought us. This allowed us to come together as a team and build a strong friendship and partnership”
Capt. Tebbit Brown
Honduran Air Force
Watch on DVIDS
Capt. Tebbit Brown is a pilot in the Honduran Air Force and is currently a partner nation guest instructor for the Inter-American Air Forces Academy’s Pilot Instrument Procedures Course. “I had the opportunity to come to PIP-C as a student and as an instructor, I’ve had the opportunity to earn my wings,” Brown explained. “When you wear the IAAFA wings people recognize them and you wear them with confidence.”
"In spite of its small size and relatively low-profile, I believe it is fair to say that the training IAAFA and its antecedents have been providing for almost 80 years – since 1943 – has had an entirely positive and far-reaching impact on both the U.S. and our partner military air forces.”Col. José Jiménez Jr., IAAFA Commandant
While IAAFA is an academy and its mission encompasses providing training and classes that meet the academic requirements for partner nations, there is more to the school and its mission than meets the eye.
“Moreover, IAAFA provides that training entirely in Spanish, which is only officially authorized at a few Defense Department service schools, including the Army's WHINSEC at Fort Benning, Georgia and the Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School at Stennis, Mississippi. In spite of its small size and relatively low-profile, I believe it is fair to say that the training IAAFA and its antecedents have been providing for almost 80 years – since 1943 – has had an entirely positive and far-reaching impact on both the U.S. and our partner military air forces,” Gagnon said.
Maj. Aníbal Báez
Dominican Air Force
Watch on DVIDS
Maj. Aníbal Báez is a pilot in the Dominican Air Force and is currently a partner nation guest instructor for the Inter-American Air Forces Academy Pilot Instrument Procedures Course. “My favorite part about this course is that the individuals are very different,” Báez explained. “Being able to differentiate everything about each student and how we can teach them in every aspect of being a pilot instructor.”
Maj. David Landenberger
Brazilian Air Force
Watch on DVIDS
Maj. David Landenberger is a transport pilot from the Brazilian Air Force and is currently training to become a partner nation guest instructor for the Inter-American Air Forces Academy’s Pilot Instrument Procedures Course. “It has been very interesting working with the students and that is what motivates me the most,” Landenberger explained. “I see this as a really great opportunity for me. I think this is something that is going to help me very much in the future.”
“Security cooperation is more than just a strategy, it’s more than the National Defense Strategy, it’s about the person-to-person interactions; that’s what makes a big difference.”Col. José Jiménez Jr., IAAFA Commandant
The full impact of IAAFA’s mission is demonstrated daily through a concept called security cooperation. Security cooperation refers to all activities undertaken by the DoD to encourage and enable international partners to work together to achieve strategic objectives. This encompasses everything from training to the purchase of weapon systems and it ultimately leads to trust and interoperability between the U.S. Air Force and its partner nations.
“Security cooperation is more than just a strategy, it’s more than the National Defense Strategy, it’s about the person-to-person interactions; that’s what makes a big difference,” explained Col. José Jiménez Jr., IAAFA commandant. “I’ve seen four-star generals in Latin America have a great appreciation and love for the United States and what we stand for primarily because of the relationships they made here with individuals here at the academy.”
Capt. Marilyn Urrutia L.
Peruvian Air Force
Watch on DVIDS
Capt. Marilyn Urrutia L. is a weapons officer from Peru and is currently in the Inter-American Air Forces Academy’s Pilot Instrument Procedures Course. “I value all the challenges of life, especially the hard ones like this course or being a pilot,” Urrutia explained. “Those are very tough challenges and I value that over something that is easy and attainable. Anything that is challenging and comes with roadblocks I see as an opportunity to better rather than having a simplistic life or anything that is easy to accomplish.”
Capt. Zacarias Estrada-Vega
Mexican Air Force
Watch on DVIDS
Capt. Zacarias Estrada-Vega is from Pachuca, Mexico, and is currently a partner nation guest instructor for the Inter-American Air Forces Academy’s Pilot Instrument Procedures Course. “One of the most rewarding things is at the beginning of the course we meet students and we take them from not having too much understanding of what we do here to having a much greater understanding and it’s rewarding to be able to see that,” Estrada-Vega explained. “The airspace exists as only one and we all have to work together to achieve [safety].”
"It all comes down to the great power competition. We’re partner nations, we’re neighboring countries and we want to show them we’re on the same team and that our interests align.”Tech. Sgt. Edwin Acevedo, IAAFA Security Forces Course Instructor
These person-to-person interactions don’t just happen within PIP-C, but every training course IAAFA offers. Through professional military education, international students learn best practices that they take back to their respective air forces and use to enhance force development. The security forces training, which includes a Ground Defense Leadership Course and a Special Reaction Team Course, helps ensure interoperability and guarantees security cooperation is being accomplished at the tactical level.
“We essentially create force multipliers over there and it’s mutually beneficial to both of us in the long run,” explained Tech. Sgt. Edwin Acevedo, IAAFA security forces course instructor. “We have subject matter expert exchanges where we go to their countries, see how they operate and explain how we operate. It all comes down to the great power competition. We’re partner nations, we’re neighboring countries and we want to show them we’re on the same team and that our interests align.”