58 selected for regional affairs strategist program Published April 3, 2013 By Debbie Gildea Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO - RANDOLPH, Texas -- Dozens of officers have been selected for development as regional affairs strategists, under the International Affairs Specialist Program, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced. The RAS program is a force development initiative intended to create a cadre of officers with in-depth regional expertise. It offers Airmen with 7-10 years of commissioned service an opportunity to develop international insight, foreign language proficiency, and cultural understanding. Upon completion of appropriate training, RAS officers will fill international, political-military focused assignments, said Maj. Carl Wood, AFPC International Affairs Assignments. "Their in-depth international and regional experience and professional level language skills, combined with existing operational skills, maximize the Air Force's ability to build partnerships with allied and coalition partners; an Air Force core competency," said Wood. Most officers selected for the program will earn an advanced academic degree, learn a foreign language, and serve a six month immersion among several countries within their assigned region. Depending on their existing degrees, foreign language proficiency, and in-country experience, selectees may have their advanced academic degree, language training, or cultural immersion training waived. This shortened training timeline limits their time away from their functional career field. Language requirements vary, he said. In addition to Russian, French, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese, requirements exist for officers proficient in Tagalog, Urdu and Hindi. "Completing a graduate degree and learning a second language are intensive time commitments away from their core community, so we need committed, focused Airmen who are ready for some hard work," Wood said. CY13 RAS selectees: Capt. Stephen Alexander Capt. Rui Amaral Capt. Jacinta Anderson Lujano Capt. Matthew Ballanco Capt. Brian Barba Maj. Charles Barton Maj. Dear Beloved Capt. Michael Bosack Capt. Kevin Bourne Capt. Brandon Brown Capt. Ida Lee Burkey Capt. Andrew Burris Capt. Christopher Coley Capt. Jared Cordell Maj. Matthew Fahrner Capt. Brent Feller Capt. Matthew Garvin Capt. Francisco Gonzalez Capt. Tara Hasbrouck Capt. Shane Hughes Maj. Edward Jones Capt. Asim Khan Maj. Christopher Kuchma Capt. Robert Leake Capt. Michael Lebrun Capt. John Leger Lt. Col. Jacqueline Chang Capt. Adrian Martin Capt. Evan McKinney Maj. Eric Navarrette Capt. Michael Nishimura Capt. Jeffery Paquette Capt. Rigoberto Perez Capt. Chad Polumbo Capt. Varun Purohit Capt. Ryan Quinn Capt. Eric Rabarijaona Capt. Brian Raffa Capt. Saul Ramos Capt. Sean Reynolds Capt. Caleb Ritland Capt. Kabir Roa Capt. Timothy Rolling Capt. Johnathan Schiferl Capt. Matthew Shaw Capt. Simone Shen Capt. Robert Smith Capt. Jonathan St Peter Capt. Pamela Stein Capt. David Temple Capt. Reid Touchberry Capt. Kevin Tran Capt. Man Tsang Capt. Sean Tucker Capt. Jennifer Warren Capt. Justin Wetterhall Capt. Darius Wudarzewski Capt. David Yu For more information about the international affairs program and other developmental opportunities, visit the myPers website at https://mypers.af.mil and enter "PSDM 13-25" in the search window.