Most people have never heard about the Olmsted Scholar Program. Within the U.S. military, however, it is a big deal, somewhat akin to the Rhodes scholarship.

Since 1959, the program has sent around 600 officers to foreign universities and staff colleges, where they study in the local language for two and a half to three years. At the same time, host families help them integrate into the community. The emphasis on immersion is such that applicants may not study where there is an Olmsted scholar from the previous year. There are other practical concerns: For security reasons, Olmsteds no longer study in China, Hong Kong, or Russia. Still, the Olmsteds remain at the cutting edge of military diplomacy, and the relationships they strike while studying can last decades.