U.S. Military Helps Lao Soldiers Learn English

Oct 2, 2012

Graduates and guests pose for a photo together at the graduation ceremony at Vientiane College on September 28, 2012.

Fourteen English instructors and students of the Lao People’s Army graduated from a 15-week Instructor Mentored/General English training course on Friday, September 28, 2012 at Vientiane College.  Four of the students were training to become English teachers and helped teach their fellow students.  The course was sponsored by the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM), in collaboration with the Ministry of National Defense. This is the second English training course conducted in Laos by the Defense Language Institute-English Language Center (DLI-ELC), from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.  The course was funded through the U.S. International Military Education and Training (IMET) Program, and is part of a long-term program to improve English language skills within the Lao People’s Army.

The graduation ceremony was held at Vientiane College on September 28, 2012, and was attended by  LTC Bouchan Nouankeo, Deputy of Training Department, KPAND; MAJ Thonechon Thongvongkham, Deputy of Training Section, School 306; CPT Chanthakone Lattanaxay, FRD.  Paul Mayer, the U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission, LTC Matthew Kent, the U.S. Defense Attaché to Laos, and Ms. Leasa Northcutt, English Instructor from DLI-ELC, attended from the U.S. Embassy.

The U.S. Embassy and USPACOM will arrange for the distribution of additional English Language Course training materials to the four Lao People’s Army training institutions, Kaysone Phomvihane National Academy of Defense, Namhoum General Staff and Command Academy and Namxuang Army Academy, and School 306. This will enable the newly trained Lao English teachers to conduct internal training at the Academies.

This English training is a continuation of the excellent partnership between the U.S. Pacific Command, the Defense Language Institute, and the Ministry of National Defense.  The Defense Language Institute has partnered with the Ministry of National Defense in the past to provide English training and English Language training materials to the Lao People’s Army.