The Lana Learn team conducts a site visit to its Air Force customer in San Antonio, Texas to ensure high-quality services.
Last month, I shared about the U.S. Air Force Security and Training (AFSAT) Program Manager’s visit to our English language training (ELT) operation at Unit 871 military base in Hanoi, Vietnam. This time, I’m flipping the script – it is about a site visit to a customer! It’s important for program managers to see ongoing Lana Learn operations. It’s equally important for us to proactively reach out to customers to ensure the service we’re providing is of high-quality. So, I did just that in March to San Antonio, Texas.
In San Antonio, I visited Randolph Air Force Base and Lackland Air Force Base to meet with AFSAT representatives and the Defense Language Institute English Language Center (DLIELC). We talked about the program, measurements of success, and how Lana Learn is helping students achieve strong English language results.
A Meaningful Trip
For me, this visit was particularly meaningful, because my father joined me in San Antonio. In 1969, he was a young Vietnamese military officer who studied English at Lackland Air Force Base. 54 years ago, he was similar to some of the students whom we’re training today. With the help of DLIELC’s Alumni Office, he and two other former Vietnamese officers, who are now in the 70s, were treated to a special tour.
The tour started off with lunch in the Amigo Inn cafeteria that the DLIELC students eat in. I had the opportunity to meet several students from Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Turkey, and other countries. We toured DLIELC’s International Hall and modernized classrooms. Then, we met with the DLIELC’s Commanding Officers who greeted the alums. We also toured the special Defense Aviation Langue Training Center (my father’s favorite part!) where, as a former helicopter pilot, my father had a chance to sit and use a flight simulator.
This visit to San Antonio was special – not only because I could connect with a customer, but also because I could connect with my family. Education work is meaningful. We are impacting students’ lives. In the process, we are also creating memories in our own. All educators have special stories to share, and this trip to San Antonio was one of mine.
