Starting new foreign language at USNA

[nuensis]

Your first paragraph, I'm laughing at myself.
I'm hardcore 2/2 SF linguist for 25 years. I could never get over the 3/3 threshold because of those deep poetic verses from the 1800s. I have no desire to get a 3/3 because I'm happy with the 200 baht and the fact that when I'm in a village I made sure all basic services are covered ( water, power, medical, sewage) and not to impress the chief with poems. Perhaps DS '26 can get thru the threshold this time because he can converse with a native speaker at home, his mom.

No, I definitely agree. The higher level DLPT gets into some real academic stuff, not something you'd regularly just have a conversation about with a normal person. But I suppose the intent is to get those people that can read and understand something like a technical intelligence report or "gray literature."

2/2 is hard enough to get, I feel for those CTIs that have to regularly jump that bar just to keep their job. And then, if they want to be competitive enough to advance they're looking at picking up another language or two. Some of them are real polygots. Lots of Sailors wash out of DLI and end up as undesignated or re-rated to cooks and deck.

I'm a "heritage speaker," and I barely cleared the bar. Higher levels will just casually add in different dialects (e.g. the Korean test will include North Korean). It's hard.

 

[severn]

Qu

No, I definitely agree. The higher level DLPT gets into some real academic stuff, not something you'd regularly just have a conversation about with a normal person. But I suppose the intent is to get those people that can read and understand something like a technical intelligence report or "gray literature."

2/2 is hard enough to get, I feel for those CTIs that have to regularly jump that bar just to keep their job. And then, if they want to be competitive enough to advance they're looking at picking up another language or two. Some of them are real polygots. Lots of Sailors wash out of DLI and end up as undesignated or re-rated to cooks and deck.
N
I'm a "heritage speaker," and I barely cleared the bar. Higher levels will just casually add in different dialects (e.g. the Korean test will include North Korean). It's hard.

Thank you. Questions.
- Which (excluding Spec Ops) Navy Command/Subordinate Command has the most language billets?
- Assuming a 3/3 SWO language qualified, what position/task/special duty-assignment will language pay is authorized?

 

[nuensis]

That's the real trick. There aren't really any billets.

The billets that are language coded are things like country desks that are detailed to FAOs (who are already eligible regardless). The Navy even maintains a small amount of aviation-qualified FAOs (former pilots) to fly embassy aircraft.

The only thing I can think of is attaché duty, and even then I'm not sure if it really is coded or not.

Outsourcing happens too. On an operation requiring a linguist, we had a few officers with 2/2 or 3/3 proficiency, but they found a 5/5/5 soldier to place on our ship when CTIs were unavailable.

 

[severn]

That's the real trick. There aren't really any billets.

The billets that are language coded are things like country desks that are detailed to FAOs (who are already eligible regardless). The Navy even maintains a small amount of aviation-qualified FAOs (former pilots) to fly embassy aircraft.

The only thing I can think of is attaché duty, andls. even then I'm not sure if it really is coded or not.vS
S
Outsourcing happens too. On an operationS requiring a linguist, we had a few officers withn 2/2pve or 3/3 proficiency, but they found a 5/5/5 soldier toW place on our ship when CTIs were unavailable.r

Fascinating. At the very least provide language pay to Seabees personnel. I've been in Joint Civil Military Operation Task Force (JCMOTF) and those folks can build a school house in one day while talking to the locals. Got it with Navy Spec War. They have to be language qualified working along with SF in a Joint Special Operations Area (JSOA).

 

[nuensis]

Fascinating. At the very least provide language pay to Seabees personnel. I've been in Joint Civil Military Operation Task Force (JCMOTF) and those folks can build a school house in one day while talking to the locals. Got it with Navy Spec War. They have to be language qualified working along with SF in a Joint Special Operations Area (JSOA).

Found some info on SWO opportunities that pipeline officers to DLI: https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Career/Detailing/Officer/SurfaceWarfare/Detailers/412DH/DIVO-Facing-DH-Info/FY23 Talent Management Announcement-FINAL.pdf

Some planning and foreign exchange opportunities that package DLI. Provided the officer makes the score, attendance at DLI will make them eligible for payment regardless of billet or language.

The Talent Management Board is a process in itself, however, and even if selected by the board all of these opportunities are subject to slating/rack-and-stack. Nothing is guaranteed. Note that some of these are just serving a third tour on a foreign ship, so signing up for a 3rd DIVO tour at sea in lieu of shore duty...

PEP is another competitive opportunity. Depending on the country, this will also include DLI training. https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Career-Management/Language-Culture/PEP/

 

[severn]

Found some info on SWO opportunities that pipeline officers to DLI: https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Career/Detailing/Officer/SurfaceWarfare/Detailers/412DH/DIVO-Facing-DH-Info/FY23 Talent Management Announcement-FINAL.pdf

Some planning and foreign exchange opportunities that package DLI. Provided the officer makes the score, attendance at DLI will make them eligible for payment regardless of billet or language.

The Talent Management Board is a process in itself, however, and even if selected by the board all of these opportunities are subject to slating/rack-and-stack. Nothing is guaranteed. Note that some of these are just serving a third tour on a foreign ship, so signing up for a 3rd DIVO tour at sea in lieu of shore duty...

PEP is another competitive opportunity. Depending on the country, this will also include DLI training. https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Career-Management/Language-Culture/PEP/

Thanks. Great stuff. I'm keeping one copy and sending one to DS. Interesting about
DLI opportunities for assignments in Brazil, France, Chile, Italy, Greece, and Belgium.
Last entry was the U.S. Army War College. I've been trying to drag my DS over there to show him my class' bronze plaque (of 2013 in Carlisle, PA)with names listed including Navy/Marine Officers. The ad here mentioned for O3s to apply for Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth. Preference given to SWO YG 2016.

 

[cb7893]

I'm not convinced OP is who he/she claims to be. If OP is then I offer my congratulations on the appointment, which I'm sure would have resulted from ambition and hard work.

On the subject of applicability of a foreign language ability to an MOS/billet, there are many millions of first and second generation Americans whose mother tongue is not English. No small number of them are Military Officers, Enlisted and Cadets/Mids. No matter how high are your grades and how much you try, it will be extremely difficult to differentiate yourself from them in language facility.

As a junior officer it would only be by accident or happenstance that one's foreign language ability would be called upon. Instead, it will be one's performance in one's MOS/billet, first and foremost, that differentiates a candidate and puts them in a position to leverage a skill set--including knowledge of a foreign language. This has been my DS's exact experience. I could give you other examples, but my favorite is DS's running mate from Project Go who was in AFROTC. He majored in Russian and got a pilot slot. He could also do calculus in his sleep and grew up in a family with a crop dusting business. He practically flew from birth.