Cultural and Linguistic Skills Acquisition for Special Forces

[moobob]

SF does not like to send people to DLI anymore because of the time investment, and because they have their own, less capable, language facility.

 

[surgicalcric]

Send people to DLI.

SF does not like to send people to DLI anymore because of the time investment, and because they have their own, less capable, language facility.

The minute difference(s) between DLI and the language labs at Group are not significant enough to justify the money to PCS a guy to Monterrey and back. It is FAR more cost effective to keep guys local. That and the results havent been that much different.

 

[TB1077]

Since I don't have first hand knowledge of either, I'll leave that to those that do. My concern still has to do with what can be done to improve language capabilities period. I understand that SF would be even better at what they do if they were able to do their job without terps, but should it be a practice to send an ODA to any language training prior to a deployment in an AO outside of their current language abilities?

Obviously there is no need to send every SF soldier through 3 OR 4 languages immediately at the Q, but odds are he will be sent somewhere that speaks a different language (like my example of the Spanish speaking 7th grouper that ends up in A-stan). And in this discussion I'm avoiding the issue of the guys that can't stay proficient at the language they were given at the Q.

 

[Brill]

SF does not like to send people to DLI anymore because of the time investment, and because they have their own, less capable, language facility.

No, it was because they were banging too many Air Force chicks and it had an impact on their ability to study, maintain focus, etc.

 

[MilkTruckCoPilot]

Since I don't have first hand knowledge of either, I'll leave that to those that do. My concern still has to do with what can be done to improve language capabilities period.

TB

Shouldn't you be concerned about PT at this point and just going to OSUT, instead of keeping or improving language capabilities? If your profile and title are up to date you are a long way from having to worry about that.

 

[moobob]

No, it was because they were banging too many Air Force chicks and it had an impact on their ability to study, maintain focus, etc.

Yup.

Although language acquisition has a lot to do with your own initiative, there is a huge difference between SWCS language school, the active duty Group language labs (of which I've used two,) and DLI.

 

[TB1077]

TB

Shouldn't you be concerned about PT at this point and just going to OSUT, instead of keeping or improving language capabilities? If your profile and title are up to date you are a long way from having to worry about that.

I was speaking in general of course. Just as I'm not a politician I still love to look at how things can be done differently in the political arena. I like to learn as much as possible from this site and to do so I sometimes have to ask questions.

But yes, PT is a much higher priority than any language training. Apologies if I overstepped my boundries.

 

[MilkTruckCoPilot]

I almost found my way into the cook section because I was concentrating on other issues within Sota when I wasn't even done with DLI. I ended up having to go back and stayed focus on the task at hand instead of thinking about what I was going to be doing later. Just something to think about.
Now back on topic.

 

[JJ sloan]

Sounds like what happens with several of the NG SF BNs every couple of years. Hell, I took French in the SFQC, then learned Spanish on my first deployment to Colombia, and am now in a 6 month Pashtu class because our DTA changed from 3rd to 5th Group.

What would I do if I were the Group CDR - other than firing everyone in a leadership position in 20th Group HHC and from the -2 shop up in 1st BN... But I digress...

This is specific to NG SF though my AD Brethren share many of the same issues...

This is where I would start, with more to follow.

• Work with the USASFC/USASOC Commander(s) on a plan to keep the ODAs as gainfully employed as they (may not) want to be on JCETs, MTTs, MLE/SFLE, and "other" missions so the guys can immerse themselves in their languages and the cultures that embody them. (Little is more frustrating to an SF guy than to never use a language he has spent time learning, especially when he has had to do it away from his family.)

• To support this I would continue to tap into the USSOCOM CLP to allocate more funds for language courses and cultural training designed to bring guys to a 2/2 on their newly assigned language and give them the tools they need to be successful in a UWE (without the use of terps). The OPI and/or DLPT will be administered at the conclusion of the course(s) and will be mandatory thereafter on a yearly basis.*
• Team Guys and certain enablers (SOT-As specifically) in a realigned BN, who were previously assigned a CAT-1/2 language, would retake DLAB and languages assigned according to the needs of the Battalion and the guy's ability to learn another language - we know not everyone can learn a CAT-3/4 language.
• Implement a "Use of Interpreters"** course to assist in deployments in "other" AORs.

Those who don't find language important can take "another walk" or be assigned to the needs of the Army. SF is full of guys who believe 5.56 and 7.62 is all they need to speak and honestly they ALL need to go away.

*Individuals whose do not take the DLPT/OPI will be flagged against attendance for any advanced schools (CDQC, SFSC, MFF, MERLIN, etc...) until such time they test. Individuals whose test scores are worse on follow-on tests will receive NC/OERs reflecting such and will continue to be flagged until they raise their score. (These flags will not include language training or UW centric exercises/training.)

**Using Interpreters takes some practice, finesse and tact. Not everything is as simple as, "stay here and watch this corner" and guys need to understand how to best utilize them.

I could not agree more!