usafa2022
Member
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2015
- Messages
- 113
I am planning to start taking foreign classes language my next year of high school (sophomore year), and my options are French, Spanish, Arabic, and Latin. Right now I am leaning towards Spanish because it is the most widely spoken, at least in the western hemisphere, of all the options. My plan is to apply to the Air Force Academy and USMA (second choice) and I believe at least some experience with a language is required or preferred at both academies.
My question is: how will knowledge of a foreign language affect assignments after commissioning into the military, in my case the Air Force or Army? Does knowing a foreign/strategic language qualify you for deployments or assignments to areas speaking that language?
Also, how important is the extend of your knowledge of the language? Three years of a high school language class isn't exactly a strong background, so would the specific language I study really matter in the case of post-academy assignments/deployments?
I have friends who take Arabic in hopes of getting DLI scholarships and the like, and it's arguably the most relevant strategic language nowadays. Spanish is the most relevant in the United States and the rest of the Americas, however. I want to choose carefully in case this turns out to be important, better safe than sorry!
My question is: how will knowledge of a foreign language affect assignments after commissioning into the military, in my case the Air Force or Army? Does knowing a foreign/strategic language qualify you for deployments or assignments to areas speaking that language?
Also, how important is the extend of your knowledge of the language? Three years of a high school language class isn't exactly a strong background, so would the specific language I study really matter in the case of post-academy assignments/deployments?
I have friends who take Arabic in hopes of getting DLI scholarships and the like, and it's arguably the most relevant strategic language nowadays. Spanish is the most relevant in the United States and the rest of the Americas, however. I want to choose carefully in case this turns out to be important, better safe than sorry!