Now you're speaking my language

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Michael Washburn
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  Standing in the front of the roughly 35 Japan Air Self-Defense Force members, Staff Sgt. Michael Nickless, 374th Force Support Squadron, begins reading off a list of examples to the group. "She has a headache, he has a headache, they have a headache." The group reiterates the sentences.

"I have a headache," declares another instructor. Laughter emits from the crowd as the instructor is pointing at himself jokingly.

The bilateral course is a new language class aimed at promoting cross-cultural competency while enhancing JASDF members' existing English skills.

"We do about 15 minutes of instruction and then break up into groups and practice the lesson that we taught," said Master Sgt. Daniel Chapman, language class facilitator. "It's not really teaching English, it's more conversational. It's giving them an opportunity to practice in a classroom environment where they can make mistakes, laugh and have fun."

The class is relatively new with the third gathering held on Oct. 30. Chapman put together a mix of committee members both active duty military and civilian volunteers to help teach the course.

"The committee put together a curriculum and we worked with the JASDF leadership to make sure we developed what they wanted to practice," Chapman said.

As Airmen stationed in Japan, it's our responsibility to be ambassadors and show dignity and respect to our Japanese counterparts, said Tech. Sgt. Laury Napoleoni, language class volunteer.

"I'm a firm believer that if you want respect, you need to first show respect," Napoleoni said "It's not about the position you hold or the uniform you wear, it's about respecting others. By doing these classes with the JASDF members, we're showing them the same respect we would want them to show us."

Chapman said it's an important opportunity to support interaction between junior JASDF members and Airman at Yokota.

"We have these classes every other week and as long as the interest is there, we'll keep having these classes," Chapman said.

For the military volunteers, the opportunity to practice conversational English was a chance to give back.

"I've learned a little Japanese from my Japanese counterparts and from being out in Japan," Nickless said. "It's a way to give back to them."