As a young man, Staff Sgt. (Sep.) Anthony L. Warner had a fascination with languages and aimed to become a professional interpreter. After joining the military in 1987, he traveled to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif. for Russian and Italian language training to serve as a Russian cryptologic linguist and arms control interpreter.
As part of his duties, he conducted arms control inspections to ensure participant countries were complying with international treaties. Before separating from active duty service in 2001, Warner was selected to attend Moscow State University where he received a certificate in Russian interpretation; and also worked at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.
Today, he serves as one of 15 Air Force civilian arms control treaty compliance officers and puts his fluent understanding of Russian, French, German and Italian to good use. In his limited spare time, Warner teaches fitness courses around the world. In 2000, he appeared on a Russian television show, hosted by a Russian Olympic athlete, where he taught fitness.
He recently returned from Beirut, Lebanon, where he was the first American to present a certification course for the Aerobics and Fitness Association in the Middle East. He has taught additional classes in Germany, France, England, Russia, Spain, Sicily and Lebanon.