What language should I study

I'm a current AROTC cadet who is majoring in history/international relations, and I'm aspiring to branch MI. However I'm required to take a language for both of my degrees, and since I've been reading more in-depth recently on he accession process, as well as many of the oppertunites AROTC offers me in these areas, I was wondering what language I should take?

As I'm currently signed up for Arabic for the Spring semester, but I'm considering switching over to Russian instead since that interests me equally, and I'm rather split over whether to stay with Arabic or go with Russian instead? Even though there is strong chance that it won't play a big role in what branch I get initially, I fugue it could help later on.

Any opinions?

Read up on Army CULP and Here

General Idea is to study the entire culture not just the language.

If it were me I would pick a language with incentive pay: Army critical language list (CLIP) (it changes)

"Arabic, Pashto, Chinese-Mandarin, Korean, Persian-Farsi, Persian-Dari, Urdu, Indonesian, Swahili, or Hausa are eligible for the incentive pay."

Some languages have been added since, ask a PMS or Clarksonarmy also read his blog post on CULP

gojack said:

Read up on Army CULP and Here

General Idea is to study the entire culture not just the language.

If it were me I would pick a language with incentive pay: Army critical language list (CLIP) (it changes)

"Arabic, Pashto, Chinese-Mandarin, Korean, Persian-Farsi, Persian-Dari, Urdu, Indonesian, Swahili, or Hausa are eligible for the incentive pay."

Some languages have been added since, ask a PMS or Clarksonarmy also read his blog post on CULP

Click to expand...

'gojack- really good information with great links.

The most important thing to consider is which culture (behind the language) would be the one that most intrigues you? What part of the world holds your interest? It is so much easier to immerse yourself in a culture that you enjoy than one you mererly find useful for rank advancement.

Thanks Bruno,

I am a huge proponent of CULP.

Every ROTC cadet should consider getting involved,
If you are career minded, gotta do it, going to help on every future promotion board.
-Every university requires humanities courses, make those your CULP courses.
-That focuses those 'useless' 'extra' classes into a coherent area of study.
-Pick one culture that excites you and learn all about it, stick to one, become an 'specialist'.
-Big 4 have to be Mandarin, Persian, Russian and Arabic, just compare possible hot spots and languages spoken there.
-I would plan to get a minor in your chosen culture, should be very close anyway.
-Pays for a semester overseas, in the culture the student is all ready studying.
-Two 3 credit classes a semester - pays student an additional $3,000 a year
---that's close to 1/3 of room and board at most schools
(Disclaimer: Army adjusts/tweaks pay on this type of program frequently)

And significant extra pay for length of Army career to maintain, improve language skills.

It's a win, win, win... all the way around.

Want to reinforce Gojack....CULP was added to the MS I curriculum this year. We are supposed to spend an hour teaching you about CULP and CLIP. There should also be information on Blackboard to help you make a decision. There is also supposed to be a Culture and Language Career Plan that all cadets need to prepare.

Hope that helps.