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Inside
From the Top DLIFLC welcomes new commandant! USD P&R says DLIFLC should be Center of Excellence Motivating airmen: Presidio airmen get first look at Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaisance operations. Hebrew department pulls 2010 Allen Griffin Award

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HeadStart2 - is a self-paced interactive 80 to 100-hour basic language course that provides practice in the four skills with an emphasis on language to carry out basic military survival tasks. The learner is awarded a certificate of completion for passing each of the 10 military modules at the 75 percent level. HeadStart2 is available in 11 languages, for order or download: Chinese, Dari, French, Iraqi, Korean, Pashto, Persian Farsi, Russian, Spanish and Uzbek. Cultural Orientation - available online, offers in English an engaging introduction of the culture of a specific linguistic group and region. It includes a regional profile, religion, traditions, urban and rural life, and contains audio recordings of simple verbal exchanges. Countries in Perspective available online in English, gives indepth information about geography, history, economy, society and security of a given nation. Each study concludes with an achievement test type assessment module.

DLIFLC hosts

6th Annual Chinese LEARN Conference

By Natela Cutter, Strategic Communications u c

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DLIFLC dean of Field Support, Steve Collins, congratulates Fort Drum N.Y., graduates of the Af-Pak General Purpose Force Dari language program on July 23.

Chief of Staff of the Army visits DLIFLC New programs prepare troops, civilians, for language and culture found in Afghanistan, Pakistan Af-Pak Hands a personal account from the field Soldiers graduate from Afghan language, culture program

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U.S. Army Chief of Staff, Gen George U S Army Chief f Staff Gen. George rm hi f Staff Casey Jr., observes a Persian Farsi class at DLIFLC June 23. Casey says servicemembers need to be culturally astute to accomplish their mission, which includes language studies.

Dr. Qun Ao (Left), from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, receives a Certificate of Appreciation Award from Dr. Rusty Shughart (Right), Director of Foreign Language Education and Training Programs, National Intelligence University.

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Ukrainian delegation puts DLIFLC Russian students to the test Danish army students attend DLIFLC for Dari language training & DLIFLC to roll out Very Low Range tests for servicemembers Command Language Program of the Year winners Defense Threat Reduction Agency Airman named Language Professional of the Year DLIFLC learns from Umbrella Weeks DLIFLC hosts 6th Annual Chinese LEARN Conference

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Commandant/Commander Col. Danial D. Pick Command Sergeant Major Tracey L. Ballotte Editor-in-Chief Clare A. Bugary Editor Natela Cutter Design Deacon Westervelt Photo Credits Natela Cutter, Brian Lamar, Dusan Tatomirovic, Deacon Westervelt, and Hiro Chang For editorial comments or suggestions please write to natela.cutter@us.army.mil

Soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division speak Dari Training focuses on dialects & DLIFLC wins TRADOC Distance Learning Maverick Award Af-Pak Hands begin immersion training DLIFLC graduates Iraqi Basic Course students MLI of the Quarter Award & DLIFLC holds successful Langauge Day event

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The GLOBE is an authorized publication under the provisions of AR 360-1 and the Associated Press Style Guide for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of the GLOBE are not necessarily ofcial views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, Department of the Army, or DLIFLC. It is published quarterly by the Strategic Communications Ofce, overnment, De DLIFLC, Presidio of Monterey, CA 93944-5006, phone (831) 242-6015 or facsimile (831) 242-4630 (DSN 768). The GLOBE has a circulation of 3,000 and is printed by offset press. The Commancsimile t dant, Editor-in-Chief and Editor reserve the right to edit materials as necessary to conform to GLOBE editorial policies. All photos, unless otherwise credited, are Department of Defense photos. E e

All products: www.dliflc.edu for a complete list of available products Afghan Languages Portal www.dliflc.edu/LangPortal/ index.html for Dari, Pashto and Urdu quick access to materials. Language Materials Distribution System - to order materials for deploying servicememebers sign on to LMDS at: https://lmds.dliflc. edu/home.aspx or call DLIFLC mission support at: DSN: 768-6989/ COMM: 831-242-6989 Services: To schedule an instructor Mobile Training Team (MTT) for language and culture familiarization training call DSCOPS scheduling: Linda Villarreal (520) 533-8663 (DSN 821) linda.villarreal3@conus.army.mil or Terry Thornton (831) 242-4474 (DSN 768) terry.w.thornton@conus. army.mil

Where to nd DLIFLC products: o L o

PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. - The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center organized its 6th Chinese Language Education and Resource Network (LEARN) conference July 20-23, with sponsorship from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the National Cryptologic School, and the Foreign Language Program Office. The theme of the conference this year was Getting Technology and Methodology Synchronization. We live in an age when technology evolvement proceeds at a very rapid pace. Even if teachers are increasingly technology savvy, keeping up with new technologies and their implications remains a challenge, said Steering Committee Chair Dr. Luba Grant, also dean of Asian School I. This conference will give you an opportunity to hear and see many informative presentations on the use of technology in the classrooms. It is a great way to share your knowledge and best practices, and to challenge your colleagues to develop new and improved methods of technology use in the classroom, said Dr. Grant during her opening remarks. More than 40 DLIFLC instructors presented their experiences in enhancing language learning with technology in workshops ranging from Authentic Materials and Improvement of Listening Proficiency, to Analyzing Student Pronunciation and Improving Tonal Teaching. Over 100 Chinese instructors from DLIFLC attended presentations or workshops at the conference.

Vol. 33, No. 3, Summer/Fall 2010

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DLIFLC learns from

By Natela Cutter, e t Strategiic Communications m a
PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. - Information collection teams from the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center have begun attending unit Umbrella Weeks in an effort to collect information about language and culture familiarization training needed by deploying forces. With the recent push in military doctrine to include foreign language and culture training for deploying servicemembers, DLIFLC has been at the forefront of organizing this training for the Army and other services, to include the establishment of Language Training Detachments for General Purpose Force servicemembers at three locations this year. Sgt. Maj. David Ford and I attended the 3rd BCT, 10th MTN DIV Spartan Lessons Umbrella Week in March and used surveys and interviews to identify language and culture training issues that need to be resolved and looked at best practices that should be sustained, said Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Santucci, from DLIFLC. The Umbrella Weeks are a period during which units returning from deployment share information with various Army agencies and Centers of Excellence. Thus far, DLIFLC has sent teams to Umbrella Week events at Fort Richardson, Alaska, Fort Carson, Colo., and Lewis McCord Joint Base in Washington, to conduct surveys and raise awareness about DLIFLC products and services. The Umbrella Weeks are a great opportunity to meet with troops and commanders to talk with them about their experiences in theater and hear firsthand what their language and culture requirements are. The information we gather will help shape DLIFLCs current and future support

FromDanial D.Top the Pick By Col.

A global endeavor - this is what comes to mind after four months in command at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. Though I have served at DLIFLC and the Presidio of Monterey as the director of the Foreign Area Officer program just over a year ago, it is only now that I realize the magnitude of the DLIFLC mission. The Institute is no longer a quaint little school on the Presidio of Monterey educating only professional linguists. It is an incredibly dynamic institution that has stepped up to the challenge of training beyond the eight schools and the Basic Course, and has established Language Training Detachments (LTDs) in 23 locations world wide. These detachments are training a broad range of students, from enhancement and sustainment for professional linguists, to small unit leaders headed to Afghanistan. The students are from all Services, and in the case of the Af-Pak Hands Program, they are mid-grade officers and senior NCOs. In addition to these brick and mortar operations, DLIFLC is delivering language and culture training through web-based modules such as Rapport and HeadStart2. Read about the visit of the Chief of Staff of the Army, General George Casey Jr., who approved Rapport, an eight-hour mandatory language training module for all predeploying Soldiers starting Oct. 1, 2010. Headstart2, an 80 to 100-hour r language training program, will be completed online by one small unit leader per platoon prior to deployment, if f no DLIFLC LTD is nearby. Through virtual training, DLIFLC has enabled students s to reach back to instructors from their deployed locations for specific periods of instruction. These blended, or hybrid, models of delivering instruction are utilizing cutting-edge technology in the classrooms and online. DLIFLC is delivering education to professional linguists, Special Operations Forces, General Purpose Forces, and Foreign Area Officers wherever they are in the world. At the same time, the faculty and staff at the Presidio of Monterey are hard at work developing current, relevant curricula using authentic materials and tests for very low range proficiency assessment. My first four months here have been characterized by admiration for the amazing team of professionals who make DLIFLC a global endeavor, delivering what commanders and senior leaders need for our missions in Iraq,

to deploying units and the lessons learned are also disseminated to the larger force through the Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL), explained Santucci. In analyzing the survey and interview answers, one common theme that emerged is that most Soldiers felt language and cultural competency were extremely important in accomplishing their mission. Due to the nature of the conflict, even the lowest ranking individuals can have an impact on the units mission depending on how they acted in situations that required cultural sensitivity or basic language skills. Many Soldiers who used interpreters stated that they did not always feel they could trust the interpreter to pass on the full message or understand what they were supposed to convey, said Santucci. Because DLIFLCs main customer-base for decades has been the Military Intelligence community, which comprises only about 1 percent of the military population, many other

branches of the military are not familiar with the products and services the Institute provides. During the Umbrella Weeks, we found that most combat arms and support unit commanders were not aware of the language and culture materials they could order free of cost from DLI, or that they could even have instructors from DLI come out to hold classes explained Santucci. The collection teams goal was thus to teach commanders how to access online and order DLIFLC language materials. Aside from continuing to go to Umbrella Weeks to conduct surveys, we are going to concentrate on the better marketing of our products to deploying units, said Santucci. LSKs - Language Survival Kits provide survival-level language skills needed for basic communication. The kits contain a printable PDF of the LSK guide and audio files in CD-ROM or iPod format online. LSKs are available in more than 55 languages, with up to 10 different topics per language. The product is available for order or download.

Col. Danial D. Pick Commandant

Afghanistan, and elsewhere. I am looking forward to working with the world-class faculty at DLIFLC and beyond, to help improve the processes through which we have already accomplished so much and will achieve in the future.

Col. Danial D. Pick Commandant

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Defense Threat Reduction Agency Airman named

Language Professional of the Year

By Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (AFN) When Staff Sgt. Agne Mileviciute came to the U.S. from Lithuania in 1999, she knew exactly what she wanted to do: find a way to serve her new country. Mileviciute is a Russian interpreter and recently was honored as the Air Force Language Professional of the Year at the Command Language Program Seminar at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in Monterey, Calif. An airborne cryptolinguist, Mileviciute is assigned to the Defense Threat Reduction Agency at Fort Belvoir, Va. To be considered for the award, Mileviciute had to write a detailed essay on how to help future linguists improve their language test scores. Her solution was to increase opportunities for cultural immersion, based on her own experiences. After Lithuania declared its independence in 1990, she said she began learning English by watching movies and listening to music. I cant tell you how many times I watched Terminator and Police Academy, she said of her early exposure to film. She said she learned to love rock n roll in her teens, but it wasnt easy. You had to know someone to get The Beatles or Pink Floyd. Mileviciute and her father emigrated from Lithuania to Chicago when she was 19. A few months later, she wanted to strike out on her own, she said, while still finding a way to honor her new home. She said the Air Force was exactly what she needed. When I joined the Air Force, my English wasnt the greatest, she said. But at basic training, I was totally immersed, and it was a lot easier to learn the language that way. It was sink or swim; I chose to swim, she said. According to her supervisor, Petty Officer 1st Class Caleb Moore, Mileviciute is one of the best linguists hes ever worked with. With her thirst for knowledge and her fantastic work ethic, shes an amazing part of our team, Moore said. Mileviciute works in the Open Skies Treaty program and spent much of her career at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., aboard OC135 Open Skies airplanes. The aircraft serves as an observation platform that allows unarmed flights over the territories of a variety of participating nations to observe military forces and activities. She started her career in logistics, but cross trained because of her fluency in Russian. I already spoke the language, so I felt like I had something to offer the Air Force, she said. Mileviciute was selected the language professional of the year out of more than 3,000 Airmen.
Article published in AFN July 6, 2010

DLIFLC welcomes new commandant By Tonya K. Townsell, Presidio of Monterey Public Affairs s ry a
PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. -The Presidios Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center welcomed a new leader during a ceremony held May 6 at Soldier Field. Col. Danial D. Pick assumed responsibility when Col. Sue Ann Sandusky turned over command of the Center during a well-attended event held under sunny, blue skies. Brig. Gen. Edward C. Cardon, deputy commanding general for the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center - Leader Development and Education, officiated at the change of command ceremony. During his remarks, Cardon noted that many milestones had

been achieved during Sanduskys tenure, including awarding the 5,000th associates of arts degree, taking language training to operational units and improving language proficiency in the operating forces. Cardon borrowed a Sandusky trait and told several of her African proverbs. He connected the one that says, The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago; the second best time is now, with the work she began over two years ago by planting herself in the midst of the school to grow the language skills of the school and its graduates. Cardon welcomed Pick and his

wife to the command, challenging the new commandant to continue the good work Sandusky added to the rich history of DLIFLC. In her final address to the community, Sandusky, an Army foreign area officer for SubSaharan Africa, thanked the mayors and communities for their strong support as well as recognizing the faculty and staff for the importance of the work they do every day. After noting that Cardon had taken some of her best African proverbs she dug deep to share a French one: Cross the river before you insult the crocodile, noting that it had no special meaning today, it was just one she liked. Sandusky spoke a bit of German and then gave a lengthy message to the faculty in French. After the ceremony was over dozens of faculty, staff and students

Staff Sgt. Agne Mileviciute writes in a mission log Jan. 16, 2010, as pictures are taken over Haiti by an OC-135B Open Skies observation aircraft. (Department of Defense photo/Airman 1st Class Perry Aston)

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By Brian Lamar, Strategic Communications a n

Master Sgt. Joseph Spear, the 5th Special Forces Group language program manager, receives an award for his unit from then DLIFLC Commandant, Col. Sue Ann Sandusky.

PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. - Recruits who join the military in this era of continuous conflict are almost guaranteed an overseas deployment. Requirements for language-enabled servicemembers are at an all- time high due to multiple combat and intelligence gathering operations in the Middle East, South America, Asia, and Africa. In most cases, the quality of the intelligence-gathering mission of a unit is a direct reflection of the quality and professional standard that a manager holds his command language program. To recognize the importance of this, each year the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center holds a contest during the Command Language Program Managers conference, which honors the units that stand out above the rest.
This years winners of the CLPM of the Year are: DoD Naval Information Operations Command, Maryland Army 5th Special Forces Group Marine Corps 3rd Radio Battalion Navy NIOC, Maryland Air Force 316th Training Squadron The relationship between a language program and a unit command is an enduring contributing factor each year in the contest. The more emphasis a commander places in his language program, the better his unit is able to conduct missions. More support from commands usually means more personnel released for language training, more fiscal resources to pay for the best available means of training, and also an instilled ethos of training that becomes more of a way of life than a resource-draining chore. Supportive commanders and dedicated language learners are the main ingredients in the recipe for success in a units language program. According to 5th Special Forces Group language manager, Master Sgt. Joseph Spear, the 5th Group language program, is a top-notch program because it is deemed important to the Group Commander Col. Mark Mitchell. I dont think there is a more supportive command in the Army

in regards to the language program. To be honest, we get as much support as we need, Spear said. Language programs are judged by language experts in the Pentagon G2 (Intelligence Staff ) shop, which has special interest in the DoD language community. According to Mark Getzin, a G2 staff member in the Pentagon, packets are received each year for the contest and each Army CLPM is looked at and given points in various categories such as linguist database and record keeping, Defense Language Proficiency Test results, training opportunities, linguist retention incentives and marketing. This is the way the Army chooses a program over another. We tally all the points and the highest score wins, Getzin said. The 5th Special Forces Group plans to continue their dedication to enhanced language program management with a new function called Command Language Initiative. CLI is a program that places 72 Special Forces Operatives in an intensive six-month learning program. The goal is to enhance the overall language capabilities of 5th Group. Language training is taken very seriously. For the guys here, the language classroom is their place of duty while training, said Spear. The proof is in the pudding. According to Spear, 5th Group Command has delayed deployments for some Special Operatives so they can focus on sharpening their language skills. Currently, language program managers across the Armed Forces are working on building the best program they can with resources available. The winner for the 2010 Language Program of the Year will be announced at the next CLPM Conference in Monterey, Calif., which will take place 3-6 May, 2011.

lined up to say farewell and wish her well as she returns to Africa, this time as senior military attach at the U.S. Embassy in Liberia. Pick commented that it was the third time in Monterey for him and his wife. He said he has seen it evolve from a language school for intelligence professionals into one that trains operators and Special Forces in addition to linguists. He promised to continue Sanduskys work and provide the students with the language proficiency you need. A graduate of the University of Washington, Pick entered active duty as a military intelligence officer. He became a Middle East Foreign Area Officer in 1996. His FAO assignments include Kuwaiti Land Forces Advisor, OMC-Kuwait; FAO assignment officer at Army Human Resources Command in Washington,

D.C.; executive officer, Human Intelligence Team, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Northern Iraq; Army attach, U.S. Embassy, Amman, Jordan; policy officer, Office of the Secretary of Defense; and FAO program director, DLIFLC. Pick holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Near Eastern Languages and Civilization from the University of Washington, a Master of Military Studies from Marine Corps University at Quantico, and a Master of Arts degree in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University. He speaks Arabic, Persian Farsi, Persian Dari, and Assyrian. (L-R) Brig. Gen. Edward C. Cardon, deputy
commanding general for the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center - Leader Development and Education, outgoing DLIFLC Commandant, Col. Sue Ann Sandusky, and incoming Commandant Col. Danial D. Pick, stand on Soldier Field during the change of command ceremony May 6.

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during 8th annual speech contest

By Brian Lamar, Strategic Communications t
PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. - Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center students pushed the limits of their Korean language proficiency by competing in the 8th annual Korean Speech Contest on June 25, the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War. This is one of my ou out favorite things about DLI. We are able to nother other take a peek into another culture right here in us ussing Monterey by discussing fascinating topics about the people and history of the Korean Peninsula ful and their wonderful culture, said nt DLIFLC Assistant ol. Commandant, Col. William Bare. ts Twelve students of the Korean program worked tirelessly to prepare speeches l on topics they feel e hes we strongly about. The speeches were t, deliv f judged on content, delivery of enjoyment m speech and crowd enjoyment. Topics ranged from emotionally charged explanations of how American families were also affected by the Korean War, to light-hearted and entertaining stories of how DLIFLC students favor Korean music and share an affinity toward Tae Kwon Do. Pfc. Caleb Mickey won the Commandants award with his speech entitled My Small Wish. Mickey explained how his family suffered a similar fate that many Koreans did because his family lost a loved one during the war.

DLIFLC students impress Korean Consul General

My grandfather, who was fighting in the Korean War, stepped on a land mine and was killed right before the end of hostilities. My grandmother, father and the rest of our family were devastated by his death, Mickey explained. y Every time I come across an American who w s to rica ho wants speak K ean, eak Korean,

Danish army students attend

By Pat Griffith, AUSA News h A w

DLIFLC for Dari language training

PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. Danish army 1st Lt. Soren Vase is among several international students, including three of his countrymen, taking classes at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. It is believed that Dari will be more useful in the future and that is why they have started this new cooperation with [DLIs] Dari department, Vase said. We can meet these challenges beforehand so we are not caught off guard. We have very limited Dari capacity right now. The four Danes are going through at a faster pace than normal because two of them are deploying in August. Vase and the fourth Danish soldier will deploy in February, and they are trying to stay at DLIFLC for a longer period of time. This place focuses a lot on reading and listening, he said. Since were going to be speaking a lot, talking to people, we would like to have some more emphasis on speaking. Vase learned English as a child

mostly because of a heavy influence of movies and music from the United States and Great Britain, but nevertheless, its still a second language, which can be confusing sometimes trying to learn Dari with English as the only binding language between him and his instructors. Especially in translation if you have to find a certain expression, it might be difficult, Vase said. It takes that much longer for us to have to translate, or we might have to rewrite something that would be easier if we were working in our native language. Vase lauded the learning atmosphere at DLIFLC, especially the integration of electronics such as SmartBoards, laptop computers and iPods. The cornerstone of this place is the computer and the network and the servers, he said. Its basically where everything is. Adding, Our teaching team has been very good at finding supplemental material for us so we could move on to something else. We talk a lot about current events and news.
Published by Association of the United States Army News, Aug. 2010

I am deeply ply moved Today I am very ved ver moved. day touched while speaking with you and listening to your stories in my native language, said guest speaker Korean Consul General Jung Kwan Lee of San Francisco. The annual Korean Speech Contest is a key-stone event for the students of the Korean program at DLIFLC. Not only is it a fun activity, but it helps share thoughts and feelings between classmates and faculty regarding the importance placed on learning. As students, your language ability will go a long way toward

Korean Consul General Jung Kwan Lee of San Francisco addresses faculty, staff and students during the 8th annual Korean Speech Contest on June 25.

DLIFLC to roll out Very Low Range tests for servicemembers

By Natela Cutter, t u Strategic Communications g m c
PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center will begin rolling out Very Low Range foreign language tests early in the calendar year, in response to Department of Defense needs to assess a greater number of personnel

continuing to build bridges between the United States and our allies and friends, the South Koreans, said Bare.

at the lowest proficiency levels. The first (languages) to be rolled out will be tests in Dari, Pashto, and Urdu, to respond to the urgent needs of the Af-Pak Hands project and our troops in Afghanistan, said DLIFLC Provost Dr. Donald Fischer, speaking about the new Afghanistan-Pakistan Hands program that calls for language and culture training for servicemembers and continuity of deployment assignments, so as to build trust with the local populations. Historically, the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) was intended for the testing of language professionals, those who studied or learned a language which they are using currently in their careers. The test, composed of reading and listening comprehension sections, can last up to three hours for each skill, and does not contain a large number of proficiency questions below level 2, according to the Interagency Language Roundtable scale. The Very Low Range DLPT was designed to address service needs within a shorter length of time and with lower-level test questions. The exam should be able to test examinees with proficiency levels below 2 accurately, without making them try to guess at large numbers of items well above their level, explained Dr. Mika Hoffman, dean of Test Development at DLIFLC. In summer of 2011, VLR tests will be rolled out in French, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Persian Farsi, and Iraqi, said Hoffman, who added that Baluchi, Chavacano, and Cebuano are also planned to be developed.

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USD FOR P&R SAYS DLIFLC SHOULD BE

CENTER OF EXCELLENCE By Natela Cutter, Strategic Communications

Petty Officer Diana Oquendo and Sgt. Mariya Rice (center left, center right), from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency advanced Russian language program, were sent to Santa Cruz for three days in April to interpret for a Ukrainian Education Delegation.

puts DLIFLC Russian students to the test

By Brian Lamar, Strategic Communications a m n
PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Russian language students were put to the test this April, when a Ukrainian education delegation arrived from the town of Alushta to visit its counterpart in Santa Cruz, Calif. DTRA course students were called upon to translate for the event, challenging them to use their language skills on the spot with near simultaneous translation during the five-day visit. This mission was a big confidence boost for me. At first I was nervous, we were not familiar with some of the topics, and had to, not only do research the night before, but also print out information to help them understand what will be talked about the next day. But that is part of being a good interpreterearning your principles trust, Petty Officer Diana Oquendo said. When I came back from this

assignment, I felt like I could talk about any subject in Russian! We talked about education, history, geography, everything, Oquendo explained. Santa Cruz and Alushta are sister cities and are noted as such in the Library of Congress Open World Program. The purpose of the delegations visit was to learn best practices to incorporate these lessons into the local Ukrainian educational system. Topics ranged from how local politics work within the education system, to who pays for the socialized educational system America has adopted. Oquendo and Sgt. Mariya Rice were chosen as translators because of their cultural understanding of the group they would interact with. I was chosen because I am a native Ukrainian and I know the customs and culture of both Ukraine and the United States. Some of the questions the delegation was asking were very culturally-based and I feel that someone who was not a native speaker wouldnt have understood why certain questions were being raised, Oquendo explained. I felt like I was able to be a vital part of friendship building between Alushta and Santa Cruz. Hopefully the delegation will have learned some lessons they can take home and apply to the local educational system which will make (their system) better, said Oquendo.

DLIFLC Provost, Dr. Donald Fischer, looks on as Dari language student demonstrates to Dr. Clifford Stanley, USD P&R, the use of a tablet PCs with a stylus pen which allows students to write non-Latin scripts on the touch sensitive screen.

PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. - The Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Dr. Clifford Stanley, said he believed the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center should become a Center of Excellence, during his first visit to the Institute June 23 and 24. Responsible for overseeing the overall state of military readiness, Stanley said that DLIFLC should be the first place to be tapped for Department of Defense language and culture training. If I could click my heels and wish I were in Kansas, I would really like to see DLI become the Center of Excellence. This should be the place you come to and where the excellence is, said Stanley, having toured several

teaching facilities. Stanley had the opportunity to visit a Dari basic course class, speak with students and ask questions about the course. Servicemembers at the Multi Language School demonstrated some of the latest language learning programs and technology such as tablet PCs, iPods and interactive whiteboards. Im excited about what you are doing, taking advantage of emerging technologies," said Stanley, stressing that language training is not just important for the professional linguist, but for all Americans, beginning at a very early age. I have some very strong feelings about language and where we are as a nation, not just in the Department of Defense. I

strongly believe that we should have a nation that we can draw from of people who are languagecapable, said Stanley, who is the senior policy advisor to the Secretary of Defense on the 1.3 million Guard and Reserve personnel in the United States. Stanley mentioned that most allies are ahead of the U.S. in language training. And why do they have to learn English? he questioned rhetorically. Language is important, he stressed, Particularly if we are talking about working with our allies and other nations. To view an interview with Dr. Stanley, please visit: http://vimeo. com/channels/dliflc or http://www. youtube.com/user/TheDLIFLC.

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MLI of the Quarter Award

DLIFLC holds

successful cLanguage Day event By Natela Cutter, Strategic Communications t o

PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. - The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center hosted more than 3,000 students, primarily from northern California high schools, during its annual Language Day open house May 14. Thirty-five cultural performances were presented by students and faculty, representing the 24 languages taught at the Institute. Cultural displays were set up in classrooms by faculty and DLIFLC students who welcomed visitors and explained the significance of learning foreign language and culture. This was a great opportunity for DLI students to interact with high

Motivating airmen: Presidio airmen get rst look at

By Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. - Ninety-five airmen from the 517th Training Group traveled to Travis Air Force Base to get their first glimpse into Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance operations in April. This first look into ISR operations provided the airmen a snapshot into their futures once they complete the Air Force's longest technical training pipeline. The airmen were given a unique opportunity to receive up-to-date intelligence briefings for several areas of responsibility relating to their language studies. Additionally, the trip was the first chance for the students to use their security clearances and experience a taste of what their careers have in store for them. In addition to the intelligence brief, the airmen received a classifiedlevel capabilities briefing for the EC130 Compass Call airborne tactical weapon system airframe. The Compass Call's system disrupts enemy command and control communications and limits adversary coordination essential to enemy-force management. The system also employs the offensive counter-information and electronic attack capabilities in support of U.S. and coalition tactical air, surface and special operations forces. Many airmen in attendance will receive assignments to either fly on-board these aircraft or support them from a ground site. Because Travis Air Force Base falls under Air Mobility Command, a close-up look at a C-5 Galaxy was also arranged. The airmen received presentations on the capabilities of the aircraft from both pilots and loadmasters. It was a rare opportunity for the airmen to have unlimited access to one of the Air Force's greatest and largest assets. Using the opportunity of being at the Air Fore base, airmen visited the Travis Air Museum and the Post Exchange. This was the third such trip to Travis for Air Force language students from the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, and was lauded by those who attended as a welcomed experience, because, while many experienced

Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance operations

airmen might take these places for granted, most of the 517th TRG airmen have not visited these types of locations as service members. According to one airman, the trip was "a real eye-opener." The airmen said that they realized while their training is intense and sometimes overwhelming, they now understand how it prepares them to serve with those who are currently operational and deployed to remote locations. Airmen said they were excited to complete their challenging language training and motivated to join the operational world. Once they complete their 6 to 18-month training at DLIFLC, all students will travel to Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas, for four months of training to hone their intelligence and language-analysis skills. Airborne cryptologic linguist students will also receive Survive, Evade, Resist, Extract training at Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington before moving on to operational assignments as cryptologic linguists.

Petty Officer 1 Eli Redstone (left), a Korean linguist in Asian School I, received the Military Language Instructor of the Quarter Award on June 8, for his outstanding performance and leadership. Each quarter, the Office of the Provost Sergeant Major at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center grants this award to outstanding MLIs. Among other achievements, Redstone delivered 67 hours of Korean language instruction to 125 multi-service personnel across eight teaching teams and coordinated six Joint Language Training Exercises at the DLIFLC immersion facility. MLIs not only participate in the immersion exercises, but also spend one to two nights at the facility, making sure that students stay on task and speak only the target language during their immersion.

school students and explain to them what we do and why learning a foreign language and culture is so important. A lot of young people are not accustomed to such a variety of culture, said Seaman Kenneth Wilkerson, who is studying Arabic. The cultural displays from different countries were really interesting. It made me want to learn more about other countries, said Kaitlyn Marrone, a Monterey High School freshman. More than 50 food and merchandise vendors participated in the event. Students were able to experience authentic international cuisines. The food was really, really good, added Marrone, with a smile. Next years Language Day is planned for May 13, 2011.

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Hebrew department pulls

By Brian Lamar, Strategic Communications a n By Brian Lamar, Strategic Communications t n
PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. On June ...The teachers were really great and adapted the 24, 19 students graduated from the Iraqi language new curriculum to our needs as we went. This was an program during a graduation ceremony at the historic experimental course and they made up the holes in the Post Theater. new curriculum with their creativity and inventiveIn order to meet the demands of the Services ness, said Wyatt. and shorten the training pipeline for students, who The secret of Wyatts success is a simple recipe of normally go to follow-on training in a dialect after hard work and a can do attitude. For future classes studying Modern Standard that go through the same hecticArabic (MSA), the Depaced language program, Wyatt there is a lot of subject matter e fense Language Institute says students need to stay positive. t q u Foreign Language Center like sports and politics in Iraq that you Maintaining a positive attitude have to learn in English before you can is the best thing that you can do a g r piloted three Iraqi dialect courses in 2009. comprehend them in Arabic. I learned a for yourself in this class no matn n The teachers were ter how you are doing academilot more than just Arabic. h very demanding. There is cally, said Wyatt, who set a high Seaman Abigail Wyatt, Iraqi course honor graduate. standard for subsequent classes by a lot of subject matter like sports and politics in Iraq scoring a 3 in both MSA and Iraqi that you have to learn in English before you can com- dialect listening comprehension, and 2+ for reading in prehend them in Arabic. I learned a lot more than just MSA and a 2 on the Iraqi dialect speaking test. Arabic, said Seaman Abigail Wyatt, the Iraqi course honor graduate. To teach the new course, DLIFLCs Curriculum Seaman Abigail Wyatt receives the Commandants Award from DLIFLC Commandant Col. Danial D. Pick. Development Division (CD) was faced with designing, within a very short time-frame, an entirely new 64-week program. MSA was introduced incrementally, at a slower, but steady pace throughout the course, to reinforce reading skills which students would be tested on through the Defense Language Proficiency Test 5 in MSA. The design and development of this course was a collaborative effort among DLIFLCs primary user - NSA, the three Arabic Schools, and CD, said Ase sociate Provost for Language Science and Technology, Dr. Christine Campbell.
Odeds capstone project was to develop an application designed to streamline administrative procedures at DLIFLC, which has already proved to save time and money. With this new application, we have no misplaced documents, greater security and privacy controls because the system is Common Access Card enabled and we are looking at a 15 percent decrease in time spent waiting on documents to go through the normal distribution system, Oded explained. Oded is also successfully experimenting with classroom curriculum by incorporating online/ real-time interaction, taking his classrooms on virtual field trips, building an electronic portfolio systems for student documents and turning a series of popular games like Jeopardy and Snakes and Ladders into electronic versions. While studying at CSUMB we focused on interacting modules and e-learning. That gave me the ideas for some of my latest developments in our school, said Oded, adding that he was also experimenting with electronic testing platforms. I feel comfortable being creative here at DLI. The leadership is very supportive and I get all the support and resources I need to fulfill my project ideas, said Oded. Although the Allen Griffin award is Odeds highest teaching honor thus far, the team he heads has won the Team Excellence Award twice, he was awarded two Coins of Excellence and he was elected as the Faculty Advisory Council President for his school. I think of these awards as less of an individual award and more of an institution award because I could not have achieved anything without the support of my coworkers and supervisors, Oded said.

The Director of Grants and Donor Advised Services, Jackie Wendland (Left), hands over the Allen Griffin Award to Yaniv Oded (Right).

PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. - Twenty five years ago, an Israeli guidance counselor diagnosed Yaniv Oded, the son of Iraqi immigrants, as dyslexic, predicting that he would not be able to do well in language classes. After almost getting kicked out of school as a child for flunking Arabic, young Oded made a vow to himself that he was not going to let anyone tell him that learning languages was a skill that he could not master. Oded has recently been awarded with an Allen Griffin Award, Monterey Countys highest teaching award, and is working on his fourth year as a Hebrew Language Instructor at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. Since his meeting with the discouraging counselor, Oded has mastered Arabic, English, French, Hebrew, Spanish and Turkish. Oded went on to start a career in linguistics when he joined the Israeli Defense Force and worked for five years as a linguist analyst in service to Israel. Oded has also made a profession of language instruction having taught Arabic and French before coming to

DLIFLC to teach Hebrew. Oded first signed on to teach Hebrew at DLIFLC as a contractor. They gave me a sixmonth contract and when that was finished, I signed another one. After working as a contract language instructor for that long, I decided that I needed something more permanent, said Oded. It didnt take long for Oded to realize that the students he was teaching were a unique group. The troops are inspiring people. Many of these students made a decision to do something better for themselves. They choose to do this for their country, said Oded. Oded also realized that he had walked into a job that put just as much investment into its faculty, as it does its students. DLI encouraged and sponsored me to study after hours and helped me go to CSUMB for a second Masters degree in Instructional Science and Technology, Oded explained, referring to California State University Monterey Bay. Oded has taken his newly gained knowledge and has put it to use in his school. While at CSUMB,

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"We need to make language expected rather than forced,"

United States Army Chief of Staff, Gen. George Casey Jr.
Gen. George Casey Jr., carefully listens to Dr. Wendy Tu, in charge of DLIFLCs distance learning Broadband Langauge Training System, which supports language learners who are unable to attend in-residence follow-on courses. Listening attentively are also (L-R, back row) DLIFLC Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Clare Bugary, DLIFLC Command Sgt. Maj. Tracey Bellotte, and DLIFLC Commandant, Col. Danial D. Pick.

members will be disbursed to different units throughout Afghanistan, with a few stationed in Pakistan. The newcomers are leading the way for the next two Af-Pak Hands cohorts, one currently in language training and one now in the process of being selected. Once all three cohorts are fully trained and functioning, they will rotate through Afghanistan and Pakistan. They will deploy for 12 months before rotating back to the United States for a period of time before returning, ideally to the same area and position in Afghanistan or Pakistan. While in the United States, they will mentor other Af-Pak Hands. They will stay involved in Af-Pak issues at one of four major hub locations and further develop their language and culture skills with DLI instructors. I think its a phenomenal program, said Air Force Maj. Christy Barry, a lawyer, who is part of the initial cohort. I wish wed done it sooner. I think this will turn the tide and bring peace and stability to Afghanistan. Im honored to be part of it. Army Lt. Col. Ken Scheidt, an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran, was the commander of a mobilization training unit at Fort Lewis, Wash., before he was selected for Af-Pak Hands. He said hell be working in a joint position in Nangahar province. I would recommend it to the right t person, Scheidt said. You have to want to do it. Another 125 Af-Pak personnel are scheduled to arrive by the end of June, with another group arriving in September and one more around November. Of the 281 billets for the program, 253 will be stationed in Afghanistan, with 28 in Pakistan. It is equally important for ISAF to develop the relationships with the Pakistani military as it is with the Afghan people and army, Kent said. At the most basic level, Mason, an Afghanistan veteran who will be stationed in an engineer office in Tarin

Kowt, said she wanted to help make the Af-Pak Hands program better for the next group. She said she expects to use her engineer background in the field and to interact with local woman. Im hoping that I can go beyond my normal job if I were to just deploy with the Air Force -- the normal dayto-day tasks, Mason said. Id like to

have a little more interaction with the local population and see how using my talents -- in the engineering field, and now language skills may be tailored to what we can do for them based on what [the Afghan people] want from us.

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BAf-Pak1stHands Begin Immersion Training y Army Sgt. Class Matthew Chlosta, International Security Assistance Force s
American Forces Press Service s
CAMP JULIEN, Afghanistan The first class of U.S. military servicemembers and civilians in the new Af-Pak Hands program arrived April 24 in Kabul to continue training at the Counterinsurgency Training Academy Afghanistan. International Security Assistance Force officials are using the program in an effort to build better long-term relationships with the Afghan and Pakistani people, governments and militaries. Af-Pak Hands is a new, all-in language and cultural immersion initiative developed last summer and stood up in the fall by Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The program is billed as a new way to build trust with the military and local populations in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Afghanistan, Af-Pak Hands will help ISAF accelerate the continual transition of more responsibility to the countrys government and security forces. It is a positive change to the way we do business here, said Air Force Master Sgt. Irene Mason, an engineer and a member of the 1st Af-Pak Hands Cohort, because the Afghans value personal relationships. The Afghan army officers who attended counterinsurgency training with the first class of Af-Pak Hands were excited and surprised to hear Americans speaking to them in their native language. They know Dari and the Pashto, and we like that, 1st Lt. Ayamuden Sherzai of the Afghan army said. I saw the coalition partners speaking Pashto [and] Dari. I was excited they were speaking our language. Without an interpreter or translator, they can solve the problem by themselves, Sherzai continued.

By Brian Lamar with contributing information from Amanda Stein r u n a

PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. - As testament to the importance of language and culture training for the Armed Forces during an era of persistent conflict, the United States Armys Chief of Staff, Gen. George Casey Jr., visited the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center May 13. Casey, a strong advocate of basic language skills and culture predeployment training, had the opportunity to observe and speak with students taking the 47 weeklong Persian Farsi course. Im impressed with this program and how much you have learned, said Casey, to Army, Marines, Air Force, and Navy students who spoke about various aspects of their experience studying the Persian Farsi language and culture. Stating that knowing language and understanding culture plays a critical part in Soldier education, Casey explained his view of the future operating environment and the challenges they will be facing. Its [combat environment] only going to get more complex as we go into the future. We need leaders of character and competence who are supremely competent in their core proficiencies and broad enough to do a range of things, he said. Casey explained that unexpected situations in the battlefield call for the ability to make rapid adjustments based on assessment of the situation. Because when you have a complex task, people get befuddled by it, explained Casey. When they are befuddled, they dont act. And its the leader that needs to grasp the situation and chart a course through the complexity. And if hes not competent and confident, and broad enough to think his way through tough problems, then we wont get what we need to get. We feel very strongly that leadership is going to be key to our continued success in the 21st century security environment. A program, pre-approved by Casey only days before visiting the Institute included Rapport, a new mandatory eight-hour predeployment language learning program which all Soldiers will have to complete online to receive a certificate of completion. The program will be available through Army Knowledge Online as of Oct. 1. The program consists of two military modules from our HeadStart2 language program and another program called Cultural Orientation. If the students achieve a 70 percent passing rate on the exam, they will be able to print out a certificate of completion, as well as have their scores immediately sent electronically to their Army records, said Pamela Combacau, dean of Technology Integration at DLIFLC. This is great, exclaimed Casey p g upon seeing the demonstration of the program. We need to make language expected rather than forced, he asserted. The Chief of Staff of the Army was shown an array of Internetbased language and culture programs offered by DLIFLC. DLIFLC staff demonstrated the Broadband Language Training System (BLTS), a distance learning program dedicated to delivering real-time foreign language training to non-resident DoD linguists via broadband technologies, by connecting the Chief of Staff of the Army to Air Force Lt. Col. Paul Howe, who has used BLTS extensively to maintain and enhance his Chinese language skills. Casey was also given the opportunity to interact with deployed language learners who shared their experiences of using DLIFLC distance learning products at Camp Julien, Afghanistan, via a conference call.

They can contact the [Afghan security forces] themselves. The Afghan people dont expect coalition forces to want to speak their language, noted Army Maj. Geoff Kent, a project coordinator for Af-Pak Hands at the Pentagon. The moment that they have that first interaction with an Af-Pak Hand, he said, the moment that someone speaks to them in their language and asks them about their family, the light bulbs are all going to come on, and its not just going to come on for the Afghan; its going to come on for that Af-Pak Hand, and [they] are going to realize, right then and there, the importance of what they are doing. Af-Pak Hands is a group of experts specifically trained to become experts in the Afghan and Pakistani cultures, Kent explained. These are the folks that are going to build relationships, he said. These are the people that the Afghans are going to want to go to when theyve got a problem, where they want to discuss an issue. The first wave of 33 Af-Pak members completed an intensive

17-week Defense Language Institute course in Dari or Pashto in Arlington, Va., from October to March, and then service-specific pre-deployment training before their arrival in Kabul on April 24. Besides their language and counterinsurgency training, each Af-Pak Hands servicemember brings specific skill sets, including expertise in governance, engineering, intelligence, finance and force protection. Theyre also going to be assigned as mentors to government and military officials. Theyre going to be placed in strategic positions where they can make an immediate impact, Kent said. The Af-Pak Hands cohorts completed the week-long Counterinsurgency Leadership Course at the Counterinsurgency Training Academy on April 29 and are now in four more weeks of immersion training with their Afghan government and security forces counterparts, including members of the ministries of Defense and Rural Rehabilitation and Development, as well as nongovernmental organizations. The Af-Pak Hands

To view an interview with Gen. Casey, please visit: http://vimeo.com/channels/dliflc or http://www.youtube.com/user/TheDLIFLC.

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civilians, for language and culture found in Afghanistan, Pakistan

By Pat Griffith, AUSA News A
PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. - The Pentagon has established two programs to help service members get a better grasp of language and culture in Afghanistan and Pakistan (Af-Pak) before deploying to the region. Af-Pak Hands and Af-Pak General Purpose Force (GPF) were started within the past year as satellite programs through the Defense Language Institute (DLI) and reflect a trend of enhancing knowledge of language that has been bolstered under Gen. David Petraeus, then commander of U.S. Central Command, and Gen. Stanley McChrystal, then International Security Assistance Force commander. I believe that the senior leadership certainly gets the idea that language and culture has an integral part of pre-deployment training and is vitally important, which is a major step in and of itself, said Steven Collins, dean of field support for DLI Continuing Education. Its very much a soft skill. Its not something that you go out to a range and fire a weapon or learn to drive a vehicle. Under Af-Pak Hands, midgrade and senior NCOs, officers and DoD civilians go through three phases to learn the languages of Dari, Pashto and Urdu, which are prominent in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Phase I is a 16week course offered by DLI at its satellite office in Washington. When the troops deploy, they will undergo Phase II training in country from mobile DLI teams, and Phase III training would continue once they return. The idea for Af-Pak Hands harkens back to the days of the

By Pat Griffith, AUSA News h w

PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. - Arabic is spoken throughout the world but, like English, there are variations of the language from region to region. Navy Seaman Kenneth Wilkerson is training at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in the Arabic dialect prominent in Iraq, which is one of the closer ones to Modern Standard Arabic. Its a far cry from the Arabic spoken in northern African countries. There are different speech patterns, a lot of common vocabulary changes to street vocabulary, and in some cases grammar usage. Much of the curriculum has been written in the Iraqi-Arabic dialect so when reading text, students can practice on how the language should be spoken in the region. Wilkerson took Spanish for five years in high school and college, but he feels he has a much better grasp on speaking Arabic than he ever did Spanish. We transitioned into a new unit that was focused on speaking in daily activities such as going to the post office or birthday parties, Wilkerson said. Once we started to do some of those around week eight or 10, it was a comfortable thing for me to hear, and everyone sort of found their own comfort zone. Adding, At this point, 24 of 64 weeks, were all very comfortable, even with things weve never heard before certain words or expressions. Even away from campus and in the town of Monterey, he finds himself thinking in Arabic and wanting to speak it. For me, Im so completely immersed trying to make the most of the 64 weeks, sometimes Im

British Empire, Collins said. They had people in the colonial office that were constantly going back and forth to [India and Africa] and spending a career getting to know the culture, the people, the language, the region, Collins said. [Petraeus and McChrystal] determined that was a key to our potential success in Afghanistan. The idea is that when troops arent in the region, they will still be doing jobs at locations in the United States or elsewhere that are still focused on that region, Collins said. It could be intelligence work or just general staff work. Over really the next five to 10 years of their career as they constantly cycle back and forth to the region, we would continue to push them upwards and get them to a fairly proficient level of training, he said. We would call sort of level two to three, which gets more to a professional level that can be used in almost any situation. A very high level. Over the next year, three more satellite locations for Phase I training will be added to include one in Europe, he said. The other program, Af-Pak GPF, is aimed at getting one person per platoon more proficient on the Dari language over 16 weeks as well, Collins said. Satellite programs have already been established at Fort Campbell, Ky., Fort Carson, Colo., and Fort Drum, N.Y., and seven more will be added over the next year, which will include two sites for the Marine Corps and one for the Air Force. Its not at the levels we attain at the Presidio, but its an enormous investment of time,

Collins said. Sixteen weeks, six hours a day plus a little bit of homework, five days a week thats a lot of time, especially for these Soldiers who have a very packed training schedule. For student selection in both programs, what we try to accentuate is motivation, Collins said. We do encourage people to look at test scores and certainly if they have had other foreign language experience, however generally what we find is that motivation is the key, he said. You get a volunteer, someone who is excited about learning these languages because these are tough languages. Sixteen weeks of nothing but language training is an academic experience that most people have never experienced, Collins said. It is difficult, he said. You hit peaks and valleys and plateaus. You have to kind of push through. Sixteen weeks is a long time. If you translate that to a college semester, a college semester is 30 to 40 hours, and we go through that in one week. Instructors accentuate active listening and speaking and job-focused scenarios, Collins said. From the first day, [students are] up talking to each other, he said. Its language that theyre going to be able to use and establish a rapport. At the end of the day its about showing empathy with the people that youre working with from the country that youre in, showing that you care, establishing that rapport and saving lives. Thats the bottom line. The two programs are just beginning, and Collins said he is looking forward to hearing from

the entire existence of the GLOSS project we have been continuously adding new capabilities and refining our methodological, as well as pedagogical, approaches in the development of online lessons, said Global Language Online Learning System (GLOSS) Project Chief, Natalia Anthokin. Some of the criteria which must be fulfilled in order to win the award include innovative course speaking to people in Arabic, but design, cost savings, rapid fielding they dont understand it, he said of dL courses, and implementation with a laugh. and streamlining of processes. Wilkerson ended up in the Navy Currently, there are 4,449 and at DLIFLC because he wanted online GLOSS lessons (proficiency to work in the intelligence field. He level 1, 1+, 2, 2+, and 3) in 34 also feels training in Arabic will be languages. These lessons are used good for his career whether he stays by DLIFLC students as well as by in the military or not. military linguists in the field for The Middle East is ever sustainment and enhancement of emerging in our politics, their language skills. The program Wilkerson said. is open to the public and can be And simply, Arabic is also found at http://gloss.dliflc.edu/ more enjoyable.
Published by Association of the United States Army News, Aug. 2010

DLIFLC wins TRADOC Distance Learning

By Natela Cutter, t Strategic Communications g m a
PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. - The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center won the prestigious annual TRADOC-wide Distributed Learning (dL) Maverick award in March 2010. The award was received by DLIFLCs Curriculum Development team. The award is given to those who think and do things using an out-of-the-box approach. During
GLOSS Project Chief, Natalia Antokhin, receives the prestigious annual TRADOC-wide Distributed Learning (dL) Maverick award from Associate Provost of Language Science and Technology, Dr. Christine Campbell.

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SoldiersStrattegicthe 10th Mountain Division speak Dari of Communicatioons By Brian Lamar,

FORT DRUM, New York - By the end of a 16week language course in Dari, 55 soldiers planning to deploy with the 10th Mountain Division to Afghanistan, stand in an auditorium and recite Dari phrases that are very foreign to the typical American during a graduation ceremony at the Fort Drum, N.Y., Mountain Language Academy July 23. All of the graduates are preparing to deploy to Afghanistan in the spring of 2011 and most of the class is bracing for their second or third deployment. Honor graduate, Staff Sgt. Michael Irwin, was surprised and happy to get the opportunity to go the extra mile in preparing for this deployment. Irwin, who is no stranger to Afghanistan with plenty of time in country, knows how difficult working in such a foreign cultural environment can be. During my last deployment, I was a squad leader in a unit that was working to train the Afghan National Army. It is really difficult to train a foreign military through a civilian interpreter who is not military. They just dont understand some of the vocabulary, said Irwin. Irwin was approached by his leadership and was told that his company was looking for two smart guys. He didnt quite know what was in store for him. His commander sent him to the Forts education center where he was told to take the Defense Language Aptitude Battery [DLAB]. Irwin scored 107 on the test, an indicator that he can absorb a foreign language quickly. This was confirmed when he scored a 1+ after finishing the course. I was excited, before this class, I had sat down on my own in Afghanistan and memorized as many phrases from a Dari language survival kit that I could, but it was a poor substitute for this class, Irwin explained. Although Irwin is enthusiastic about his upcoming deployment, he approaches the topic with a good deal of realism. I think that the Soldiers who went through this course can be a force multiplier as long as the commanders are willing to use the guys they sent to this training right. If they put them with a 249 on a corner of a building where they dont interact with locals, then sending them to this class is worthless, Irwin explained. According to Irwin, had the course lasted a month longer, he would have augmented his abilities to the next level of proficiency. The language program staff and the 10th Mountain Division command are planning to reset and have a few more cycles rotate through the course until the spring, when the troops plan to leave for Afghanistan.

students after they have been in the field. Were really looking forward to getting some feedback from these initial sets of courses, he said. We know were going to make some mistakes. We know there will be some things that we are going to want to change. Were going to get some awesome feedback and the stories will really help our motivation This saved a life or This helped us accomplish our mission sort of stories.
Published by Association of the United States Army News, Aug. 2010

a personal account from the eld

By Lt. Col. Tiimothy Kirk, 201st ANA Corps, Afghanistan s
I have always been very enthusiastic about the potential of the Hands program, but I was totally unprepared for the magnitude of the emotional connection that would mark my very first day. Even as I type this a few hours later, I still feel chills from the events of today, recounted Lt. Col. Timothy Kirk. On the first day of deployment, Kirk and his teammate, Lt. Col. Max Moore, were introduced to the Afghan Corps Commander, his sergeant major and a Corps engineer to begin their first mission on the ground, and take the opportunity to use the Dari phrases they had learned in the Af-Pak Hands 16-week language program taken back in Washington, D.C. Their first stop was a new construction site. (When) we arrived at the building site I learned that the project was a new school for the local neighborhood. I began to speak with the construction crew as the other military guys

spoke with the contractor via a translator. The locals were absolutely shocked to see an American officer speaking Dari, and the t conversation went e on as more people joined out of curiosity. I tried to move about and look closely at the work going on there, but everywhere I went I was met by curious workers and locals who wanted to see if I could really speak Dari. After some time, the group grew larger and locals began to invite me to their homes for dinner and to meet their neighbors. Phone numbers and e-mails exchanged, our conversation continued until an older gentleman asked my name. Timur, I said, and he seemed very pleased by my Dari (as limited as it was), as well as my adopted Afghan name. Later, he approached the group along with a few more men. I learned that he was the lead teacher at the school, and that the other men were on the staff. The engineer and I were invited to follow them, and the engineer told me this was a very good thing to do, so we accepted. One man took me by the hand and led me through a grove of trees (I mean by the hand as in the sort of way that we American males find quite uncomfortable, but my cultural training kicked in, and I survived the experience). The gentleman led us into the principals office where we had introductions and chai (tea) together. After a half an hour of discussion, the gentleman

directed my attention to a photo on the wall. Do you know who this is? he asked. I replied, Yes I do. That is my hero Ahmad Shah Massoud. * You could hear a pin drop. A man stood up and left the room abruptly, and the rest of them listened intently as I told them how I knew about Massoud. Later, the man returned to the room and presented me with a large poster of Massoud. I accepted their gift and thanked them graciously, and expected it to be our parting moment. However, the gentleman then led the engineer and me out into the hallway and into a classroom of about 25 young girls who seemed to be in or around the 5th grade. The students stood up as we entered, and the man told them to sit and said in Dari, This is our friend, Timur, from America. He is here to help the people of Afghanistan and wants to meet you all. He then indicated that I had the floor. My heart suddenly raced to a million beats per second as I struggled to remember ever scrap of FORTE I could recall. Once more, training kicked in and I gave my little speech.
...continue page 12

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I teased them (students) for being so quiet and calm. It broke the ice and smiles filled the room. I told them about my family and my home and that I have so much respect for the people of Afghanistan and how I hoped my country could help them. I ended by saying that I would like very much if we could become friends. Hands went over hearts all around the room. I thanked them and we exited. I was relieved that I had seemed to survive my first public speech without too much embarrassment, but that relief was short lived. The gentleman escorted us down the hall into the next classroom, and the scene was repeated for the next grade of young girls. This went on and on until I had spoken with most, if not all of the classes, probably some 250 students total. There was only one awkward moment when I asked if anyone had any questions and a student asked me about Islam and my own faith. The staff began to rebuke her for asking such a question, but again my training kicked in and I replied in Dari, I am a man of the Book. The tension immediately turned to an even warmer reception than before. Thankfully, our Dari instructors in D.C. had told the class to anticipate such a question, and I was ready. Lessons learned? 1. The Dari training we received works like gang busters here. 2. Even a few days of facial hair on men is a very powerful communicator with our hosts -- it clearly shows that we respect their culture to a huge degree. 3. Trust is absolutely vital, and we must give trust in order to receive it. The engineer told me after all this that to him we are more than friends, we are brothers.

We left the school in the most heartfelt scene I could ever hope to see. The engineer seemed to take great pride in our morning, and I was grateful for their hospitality. They invited me back to the school, and I hope to take more Hands there very soon. The rest of the day was spent back on base doing absolutely awesome things, but my thoughts and adoration remained with those kids and the school. I still have goose bumps. Perhaps the most meaningful expression of this trust came from one of the teachers at the school. As we were leaving, she stopped me and said, It is very good that you have come here to see these children. You must tell your family that we are very grateful. We know that they are worried about you, but you must tell them that we will never allow any harm to come to you. Do you hear me? We will never allow any harm to come to you because you are our friend. I have never been an overly emotional man, but I will never forget the honor I felt today. The chokedup kind of honor that makes you wonder how to say in Dari, No, Im fine... just something in my eye.

Soldiers graduate
from Afghan language, culture program
By Natela Cutter, t u Strategic Communications g m c
FORT CARSON, Colo. Nearly 300 Fort Carson Soldiers graduated from a seven-week Dari and Pashto language class June 11, in advance of their deployment to Afghanistan where they will be expected to help their battalion commanders better interact with the local population. The intensive language training with native Afghan instructors, organized by the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, began March 8 with students spending four days a week, six hours a day, learning how to read, write, learn tactical vocabulary, and construct sentences. In seven weeks you have met COIN and ISAF guidance. You have done a phenomenal job in making this pilot successful, said Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center Assistant Commandant Air Force Col. William Bare, referring to counter-insurgency language proficiency standards set by

Photos by Lt. Col. Max Moore

Edited by Natela Cutter

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*Ahmed Shah Massoud played a leading role in driving out the Soviets from Afghanistan, and later fought t ts fro ought ht the Taliban. He was killed Sept. 9, 2001, just two days before 9 fore 9/11 by suspected al-Qaeda agents. y sus

retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. In November, McChrystal wrote a memo requiring that each platoon, or like size organization have at least one leader who speaks about 300 words of Dari and understands the culture in order to better communicate with local Afghans. At Fort Carson, the training of 249 Dari and 49 Pashto Soldiers indicates that every squad will have a servicemember with some language capability upon deployment to Afghanistan. The Squad Designated Linguists, as they are called, have in fact learned double the requirement, some students even topping 1,000 vocabulary words. The training our Soldiers have gone through will have a direct immediate impact in helping the Afghan National Army understand that we are there to fight with them, for them, and to help the Afghan populace, said Maj. Mike Birmingham, in charge of language training for the 1st Brigade Combat Team. I will be a key leader engagement note taker for the battalion commander, said Pfc. Lauren Townsend, of the 1st Special Troop Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th

Infantry Division, who graduated from the Dari course and says her classmates teased her for having a perfect Dari accent. My commander wants me to work with the interpreters so that they feel like they are a part of the team. The key to the success of these Soldiers was really the way we set up the instruction, said Mowafiq Al-Anazi, associate dean of Field Support in the Directorate of Continuing Education at DLIFLC. They were taught the alphabet, reading and writing, with an emphasis on sentence structure word replacement, meaning that they could learn a simple sentence, then replace the subject or verb and create a new sentence. In the afternoons, students implemented their knowledge learned in the morning through role plays carried out of specific scenarios they would encounter in Afghanistan. I really liked learning how to read and write, said one student. Firstly, it helped me visualize and remember the vocabulary, and secondly, I will be able to read street signs or graffiti on the walls which may be important in discovering insurgent activities.
Published by AFPS , June 17, 2010

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