Lakenheath hosts exchange program forum

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Nigel Sandridge
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  More than fifty Airmen met for the Military Personnel Exchange Program forum at Eagles Landing on Royal Air Force Lakenheath, May 19th and 20th.

The MPEP is a program which transfers Airmen, from a variety of career fields, to a host nation's air force for three years.

"This exchange program provides a unique opportunity to fully integrate into another country's air force, thereby building personal relationships with Airmen from partner nations, developing United States Air Force and Host Nation capabilities and understanding, and ultimately improving interoperability between the U.S. and its allies," said Maj. Dustin Lane, RAF High Wycombe judge advocate. "This reaps tremendous strategic benefits in a world where modern military missions are largely accomplished through coalition effort."

The program strengthens U.S. and global security through partnerships in air, space, and cyberspace by integrating security cooperation activities, advancing partner capabilities and interoperability, and developing international Airmen.

"I am a Judge Advocate assigned as the Exchange Officer to the Royal Air Force's Directorate of Legal Services at RAF High Wycombe," Lane said. "They've entrusted me with significant responsibility based on my USAF background. During military exercises, I advise the RAF Air Command and Control Headquarters on laws of war and rules of engagement from a UK legal perspective, which is sometimes different from the U.S. perspective."

"The program affords the USAF an opportunity to put great Airmen leaders with our partnered air forces to build great relationships, building capability, capacity, and cooperation," said Maj. Gen. Lawrence M. Martin Jr., Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs. "We get great feedback from our partner air forces as to the influence that our Airmen have in helping them, which by extension, helps our Air Force provide national security."

Along with work experiences, Airmen also gain social understanding through living in the host nation's community.

"They all gain a great cultural perspective of the host nation's air forces being as they live and work in the same communities as their allied partners," Martin said.

Currently, more than 130 Airmen are working in 26 countries worldwide, as participants in the MPEP, ultimately enhancing interoperability with U.S. allies.