Foreign Language Skills

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What would be the best language to learn before I leave for 18X-Ray? Pashto? Dari? Arabic? I don't want to get bogged down with too many, or spend a ton of money on a useless language with this year I have before I leave. I really want to become as fluent as I possibly can before hand so that I can be more useful and better interact with others. What's my best bet? Anybody?

P.s.- I know they give you language training, but I would like to be over prepared.
 
Work on English grammar. Make sure you understand all the terms and whatnot. I don't know what it's like over there but it's not really something that covered in schools here, hence I'm struggling a little with Italian until I bone up on what all that grammar stuff actually means.

Having your English grammar sorted out will help you immensely when it comes to them teaching you whatever language.
 
If you are good on English, then I would say start taking Spanish classes at your local college. Being that you are in Texas and should have general access to Spanish speaking people, you should be able to practice conversations with someone. However, the college courses will give you an introduction into learning a second language in the classroom setting and then of course the ability to practice it will help a lot.

As for whats best for the 18X stuff, I would not know.
 
...you would be better served taking the time for physical and mindset training.

I totally agree.

While language training is never a waste of time that time could be better spent in other endeavors (PT, reading the history of SF and gaining an understanding of its CORE mission, becoming better acquainted with english grammar etc).

You will take the DLAB at SFAS (if not before) and will be assigned a Group and language. As for the argument that you will study/DLPT a language and will then be assigned it, dont count on it. There are quite a few guys who have tested out of a language only to be assigned another...

Crip
 
I hope you learn Arabic and then get assigned to 7th Group.

Has happened before. Thing with language training is you kinda get what you ask for. I did at least. I thought I would hate language school(I did) and thought what is the easiest possible language for me to learn? Spanish was the answer to that question, so I put it on all my wishlists as my first choice and I got it. Plus Spanish can never hurt you when you get out.
 
Yeah, slowing down is always good. A ton of my questions are being answered in Dick Couchs' book Chosen Soldier. It has been extremely informative and made me realize how many other things I have to focus on before language training. It also seems that the 18X-Ray is the way to go. They prepare you to the edge. Do they do language training during the Q Course now, or is it still seperate?
 
Yeah, slowing down is always good. A ton of my questions are being answered in Dick Couchs' book Chosen Soldier. It has been extremely informative and made me realize how many other things I have to focus on before language training. It also seems that the 18X-Ray is the way to go. They prepare you to the edge. Do they do language training during the Q Course now, or is it still seperate?

I only have one question left for you. Are you a complete idiot or do you just come across that way on military sites?

You do realize that you might possibly be giving your future instructors bad ideas about you, right?

Forget everything you read in Dick Couch's book about SFAS, it changes constantly. Get a copy of Get Selected and learn it.

For Land Nav - join an orienteering team.
For languages - if you can get fluent in a few months - learn whatever one floats your boat, it won't friggin matter.
Learn to STFU and research before asking poorly researched questions about everything - be self sufficient, it's a graded exercise in SFAS, no shit, it really is - but then again so are teamwork, and initiative, and the ability to learn on the fly.... so far, you have served up a big fat ol burger with a ton of fail sauce slathered all over it...

Here's a clue Sherlock... an 18X-ray contract is an opporunity to fail, miserably... all it does is put you on a fast track to SFAS, you still need to make it through the precursors to even get there... the select rate for 18X is about the same as for all other candidates - somewhere in the 25-30% range. You are not special until you graduate the Q course, then the learning really begins. Humility is your friend right now, and forever.... STFU and go do PT.

Oh, in case you haven't figured it out, I might actually know what I'm talking about here.
 
Rather than go with Option A: Witty Response, I think I'll utilize Option B: Close the Thread. Now, I know some of you, maybe even Ole Tex himself, would like to respond, but I think the thread has covered all of the options.

But "the edge?" I think I peed myself reading that.
 
Learn Irish!
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