Tester: Montana’s Don Loranger to serve on National Security Education Board

(BIG SANDY, Mont.) – Senator Jon Tester today announced that following his recommendation, Bigfork resident retired Air Force Major General Don Loranger has been appointed to the National Security Education Board.  The board that oversees the National Security Education Program, which is tasked with enhancing the national security of the United States by increasing the United States’ capacity to deal effectively with foreign cultures and languages.

Loranger currently serves as Director of the Defense Critical Language and Culture Training Program at The University of Montana’s Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center. In partnership with the Department of Defense, the program provides U.S. troops with the critical language and culture training they need to complete their missions more effectively, including language courses in Arabic and Mandarin Chinese, and cultural competency courses for Arab countries, Afghanistan, Iran and China.

Tester said that Loranger’s experience heading the language and culture training program together with his Air Force experience makes him uniquely qualified for the National Security Education Board.

“The Board that oversees the National Security Education Program must have the right mix of individuals who are comfortable with both the military structure and the complexities of language and culture education,” Tester wrote in his letter of support.  “I am confident that General Loranger will provide that expertise to the Board.”

Loranger served in the United States Air Force from 1966 until 1996.  He was Commander of the Joint Task Force in Southwest Asia, Commander of the 435th Tactical Airlift Wing at Rhein Main Air Base in Germany, and operational Commander of Provide Promise, the aerial resupply of Sarajevo and Eastern Bosnia.

Tester visited the Afghanistan language and culture training program in October 2010. 

Tester’s nomination letter of Loranger is below.

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March 7, 2012

The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania A venue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I write to recommend Major General (Ret.) Don Loranger, U.S. Air Force, for nomination to the National Security Education Board.

General Loranger currently serves as Director ofThe University of Montana's Defense Critical Language and Culture Program, a program which he has helped develop and tailor
specifically to deploying members of the Montana National Guard, Special Operations forces and members of the U.S. Marine Corps. Under General Loranger's leadership over the last three years, this program has achieved national recognition.

General Loranger served his country in the United States Air force for 36 years with honor and distinction. His career was marked in particular by his leadership of Provide Promise,
the humanitarian aerial resupply of Eastern Bosnia (1992-1994). He also has served as commander of Joint Task Force I Southwest Asia (Iraqi no-fly zone enforcement) in 1995.
As the Defense Department puts increased emphasis on language and culture training as a "force multiplier" to better prepare United States military forces for deployment, the role of the National Security Education Program (NSEP) will grow. The Board that oversees the NSEP must have the right mix of individuals who are comfortable with both the military structure and the complexities of language and culture education. I am confident that General Loranger will provide that expertise to the Board.

I have attached General Loranger's curriculum vitae and would welcome the opportunity to discuss at your convenience this prospective nomination further. Thank you for your attention to this recommendation.

Sincerely,
/s
Jon Tester

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