Foreign Language: An Adventure of a Lifetime 

How was it

can we get an update?

Nothing Yeah I want an update too, especially 6 years later

So what happened

Korean 2003

@@kelleyhutchinson6691 Were you able to choose the language that you trained in?

1989 here. I loves DLI.

@@tiyonrenae5186 I would also like to know

Keep in mind they're only there for about 18 months. Not four years

roman liru I am a twice grad of DLI- One was Russian. 20 years later...I am still fluent.....so..not sure what you are all sying.

Wade Vandoloski Yes but we learn 8 hours a day .....where as a college student gets what....2 hours a week if they care or get the other immersion. We learn 3x as much in that time as a 4 year college program. After the Army I used the GI Bill to get 2 B.S. Degrees...one was in Russian from a well respected University....which I literally tested out of and had to take 5 classes.....the graduating seniors could hardly speak it. So...tell me again?

KristalynJ Russian is not within my area of competence so I just extrapolated from other languages and what I was told by a PhD in linguistics; for this specific area we may need rather the opinion of a neurolinguist

That is interesting...I also later got a Masters in Applied Linguistics....I went to D:LI in the early 90s...I only imagine the technology and instruction is even better. I think you either learn languages or you don't. I am not sure an opinion from anyone changes that. Shrug.

brayden w it all depends on the branch you are looking to go into. In the USAF, you have to have a 72 in the general portion of the asvab test, then you are required to take a test thats called the DLAB. I believe you have to score a 110 on it to pass. The military will choose which language you are capable of learning depending on what score you got on the dlab.

Jacob C. They choose your language based on how high you score on the DLAB. Ive gone USAF so it might be a bit different, but i scored a 71 on the asvab and a 117 on the dlab and im not sure yet of the language i can receive. They will always choose for you though.

Hi, I graduated from DLI Monterey in 2013 and served 4 more years after that as a 1A8. Being proficient in a 2nd language is already a great accolade. But with this career, you are provided with a TS level clearance, which is HIGHLY expensive and usually takes quite a while to complete. And once you get your TS, even if you get out and it expires, it is still much more cheaper for say the fbi or homesec to hire you and reinvestigate you instead of paying for someone elses completely new TS clearance. Experience in military intelligence, especially for linguists where literally every day you're handling intelligence is highly sought after with private security/military orgs. I have a few friends who work for agencies now and they make 10 times the amount, doing half as much work, and I have a few friends who took the 90k re-enlistment bonus for 1A8 (rip me), some went on to be teachers of the language they learned. I swear every national/international agency is always looking for freshly separated linguists. I've heard stories of agencies even buying out military contracts for DLI geniuses (but im sure that's just a rumor). I promise if you're able to become an operational linguist, when you get out you'll realize just how much that education was worth when you start getting e-mails from FBI recruiters asking for YOU. Not you asking them for a job, they come to YOU. I for one very much enjoyed my career in the Air Force, the training SUCKED, and you WILL NOT make it if you don't bust your ass. When I got out I actually worked for the U.S. Marshals Service for about 9 months before I started using my GI bill. The job I had was nothing but clerical, and aside from sitting at a desk it shared no similarities with my duties in the Air Force. But they came to me literally just weeks after i got my dd-214 and offered me a job, paying me 4 times my e5 pay to just sit in an office and handle 'classified material' AKA paper pusher. BUT for 9 months i got paid nearly 6 digits to do that just because my experience. As for my future relative to my military experience as an airborne linguist, I really dont have one. As much as I loved being a linguist, I fucking hate people. So I decided to stick to my roots and continue my education in computer science. So the fact that even if you hate it (you won't) you get 4 years of free college to reset into whatever you want. :)

@@vile1636 appreciate the detailed response sir!! I have the choice to go into DEP for the Space Force (which will likely get me a fantastic job for my future) or go in as an AF linguist (what's in my heart, but I don't know if it's because I'm young and dumb.) I have to make a decision very soon and I'm kinda lost.. thanks for the insight

@@feudelacroixReal ass comment, personally I love the idea being in the military, not having to struggle with bills, rent and food while having income I can just sit on at 18 years old sounds great to me, I also have an obsessive interest with arabic, i dont like the idea of possibly dying but im sending it, F it!

As long as you are a decent person, you will be fine. 99% of people don't care about your race or ethnic background so long as you are cool.

+Suurfside 16 There used to be a Civilian Language training available in Monterey that utilized many of the Instructors from DLIWC, and it was open to all students. This is as it was in 1971, so what there is now is unknown. The school had a large number of students and it could still be available.

All sorts of communities go to DLI. He could be on his way to attend another country university, a Foreign Area Officer, Personnel Exchange Program, etc

You don't get to pick your language, it's based on the needs of the service. Lots of Russian and Arabic are coming in right now. I don't know about the Navy though I assume its the same, there is a decent demand for Linguists all across the board; I got a pretty decent financial bonus for taking the position. And yes your spouse can come live with you for the time you're there. (And it is way better that way so you don't have to deal with living in the barracks.)

Scklyic do you find out anytime in advance so you can self study any? or is it a hi, welcome... you're going here now. kind of thing?

I found out my last week of bootcamp. So that was a month or so before my classes actually started; however, your language also isn't set in stone. I know a few people who were studying their language before class and got swapped in a moments notice to an entirely different language.

Scklyic if you mind my asking. how well did they teach you the language? would you consider yourself fluent? also if you are married, can you bring your spouse or is it not allowed?

I've never spoken a language before; however, I can easily talk to anyone in my target language fairly fluently. I can struggle with specific explanations or really uncommon words, but I can easily express myself and have conversations about many things up to arguing over politics. It's honestly surprising. Do you mean can your spouse take the language course with you? No, unless you are a commissioned officer, then I've seen it happen, but I am enlisted and don't know anything about that.

+edwardmax77 no

are you a CLI?

That looks impossible to read

Depends, are you already in the military? If not, talk to a recruiter and arrange to take the DLAB and ASVAB tests.

Thank you kelly

Did you ever find out?

+brayden w I believe the ASVAB minimum is 72 and DLAB is 100. This might just be for USAF but I'm almost certain the requirements would be the same for all branches.

El Señor de la Tienda Guzman i do with Spanish

I need help with Turkish

US Soldier Is the offer still available?

Michael McShane absolutely

+US Soldier i would appreciate some help with russian if you are still free ))

DiePlagen no problem

pleasant and helpful youtube exchanges are what i live for :D

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