PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. --
The U.S. Air Force intelligence career field management (CFM) team visited the 517th Training Group on May 12, 2026, to speak directly with the instructors, students, and leadership that train cryptologic linguists.
With thousands of linguists in the U.S. Air Force, the career field management team aims to match Airmen’s individual career goals, circumstances, and needs with the right training and assignment for their development.
The visit began by breaking bread with non-commissioned officers, allowing instructors and military training leaders the opportunity to voice their firsthand perspectives and feedback, as well as seek professional guidance from the CFM team.
“There’s not a lot of NCOs and SNCOs here, but pound for pound they do a lot and get a lot done,” said Chief Master Sgt. Stefan Blazier, the Air Force intelligence directorate’s senior enlisted leader. “As a prior tech school instructor myself, the main thing to realize is that you’re impacting lives here for success in uniform and success in life. Just wait until you’re able to meet the people you’re impacting here five to ten years down the line.”
The NCOs of the 517th work directly with linguist trainees daily, coaching them through one of the most academically demanding courses in the U.S. military. Speaking with functional leadership from the top of their career fields allows for clear communication and understanding of larger training initiatives.
After sharing goals, initiatives, deployment stories, and life advice, the team transitioned to visiting students attending class at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center.
The CFM team toured active classrooms with service members studying Russian, Persian Farsi, Chinese, and Korean. They were able to see students at both early stages of the pipeline, as well as those nearing graduation.
“We will take somebody at the two-week point and stop speaking to them in English,” said Chief Master Sgt. Tyler Smith, Air Force intelligence career field manager. “It’s a full immersion into the career field and language capability. The instructors and all of the students’ environment are solely immersed in that language.”
In addition to observing student learning in real-time, the team toured the 311th and 314th Training Squadrons, meeting with the staff that ensures trainees are supported through their time at the 517th and DLIFLC.
“The command support staff, MTLs, and military language instructors were all rowing in the same direction to ensure the students are as successful as possible,” said Blazier.
The 517th Training Group and DLIFLC are vital to producing Air Force linguists. Meeting with the highest levels of functional intelligence leadership ensures the entire chain of command can stay on the same page, working together toward both student and mission success.