“To give you an idea of what this accomplishment means, the Air Force proficiency standard for language is a Listening, two Reading, two,” said Master Sgt. On Abraham’s August 2017 DLPT in Chinese, he earned scores of: Listening, four Reading, four and Speaking, three. “You only have to test once every two years if you score a 3/3 or higher.”ĭLPT scores play a big role in a linguist’s career because the results are used to select personnel for programs or assignments that may require minimum language proficiency levels, and they also are used to determine eligibility for the Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus. “The Defense Language Proficiency Test is the final test you take before you graduate from DLI, and you then take it every year to ensure you maintain the Air Force 2/2 standards for Reading and Listening,” said Abraham. “We had aircrew fundamentals school, which was a four-week course in San Antonio, after Basic Military Training the DLIFLC, a three-month course at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, for more intelligence specific skills and, depending on your AFSC, there’s a month long survival training in Spokane, Washington,” Abraham said.Įven after completing all the required training, Abraham still has to test his skills regularly. The young Airman had to attend three additional training courses before he was considered ready for duty. The duration of any language training depends on the specific language being studied and, in Abraham’s case, his Chinese Mandarin course lasted 63 weeks. The Chinese linguist said he liked “.the prospect of knowing a foreign language that was incomprehensible to everyone else I knew.”Ībraham, like most Air Force linguists, spent his first year in the military training at the Defense Language Institute - Foreign Language Center in Monterey, California. He joined the Air Force seven years ago with the goal of testing his abilities, and he has passed that test with flying colors.Ībraham picked his career field because he wanted to be challenged, he said, and being a linguist also had that “cool factor” he was looking for. Abraham, an Airborne Cryptologic Language Analyst with the 70th Operations Support Squadron, has discovered. The benefits of learning a new language really are endless, as U.S. It can also improve the knowledge of one’s own language increasing native vocabulary skills. It can foster an understanding of the interrelation of language and human nature. You could end up on a mission that has you working nonstop or you could end up somewhere that barely has anything to do.Learning a new language can provide direct access to new literatures, new perspectives and new cultures. It's also very dependent on where you get stationed, what language you get, and what the world looks like at the time you're working. About half the people seem to hate it, about 1/4 don't hate it but don't love it. You'll just avoid stuff like room inspections and random middle of the night drug searches.ĥ.) There's no real answer here. You'll still have military responsibilities, PT, formations, etc. There is no "base housing", its near base and you can obviously get apartments too. Eventually you'll be able to move off base. Do extra training, become a subject matter expect for your language and go for the job you want.Ĥ.) You'll spend a few weeks or a month in the dorms, regardless. If you sit there 4 years and do the bare minimum, you're gonna struggle to get a job. Monday through Friday, Friday through Tuesday, Wednesday through Saturday, 4 on 3 off, 3 on 4 off, 2 on 2 off.ģ.) Yes, but don't expect to just be handed a job. I've worked anywhere from midnight shifts, to midshifts, day shifts. Over all rating of your experience in the job or experiences you have gathered from people in that job.ġ.) Ground linguist work largely depends on where you're stationed, what language you have. Has anyone had experience with being married and being in DLI? From what I understand, since it is such a long tech school you are able to live off base with your spouse but I have seen some conflicting information. Do ground linguists deploy as regularly as airborne?ĭo you feel that the skills learned on the job and in DLI are easily transferable to other government jobs such as FBI, CIA, etc? What are the differences between Airborne and Ground? From what I gather, Airborne will obviously fly much more but other than this fact, the differences seem gray. Information on the internet on this job and personal experiences are very slim and so I have a few questions that I am hoping can be answered here.Īre there any current or previous AF linguists that can share their experiences in the actual job itself? How did you like it? What was the general day-to-day? I have passed the Asvab, Dlab, and MEPS, and am essentially waiting on a ship out date. I have recently accepted a job in the Air Force as a Cryptologic Linguist.
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