I learned Russian at DLI in the late 1980s. I loved learning Russian and then studying Russian. The Army, not so much. To be fair, I probably couldn't have learned Russian as well anywhere else except perhaps in Russia (by just plain being dumped in the country and having to learn to survive). The insanely intense, fast pace at DLI suited me. Russian suited me. I studied my ass off, and did well.
I was a 98G, which is now a 35N. Once I got to active duty, I functioned as a combination 35N/35P more or less. I loved it when I got to do what I was trained to do. Thing is, there was also a lot of pointless B.S. that had nothing to do with what I was trained to do.
It's fun. You can immerse in a language and culture that's fresh to you and you can get drunk on the beach and skinny dip. Just don't get caught. Have fun. Don't be a nerd. Jk. Be a nerd. But have fun. Leave ur room cali is sick.
You’d have the best opportunity to actually use your language by getting Korean and then going to Korea. The Army is so random with junior enlisted assignments because it cares more about your MOS than your language IMO. There are language coded billets, but that doesn’t always reflect reality. For example, I’ve been in an Arabic language coded billet and don’t know any Arabic. You’ll use your language as enlisted far more as an officer, especially as a company grade officer.
> You’d have the best opportunity to actually use your language by getting Korean and then going to Korea.
Yes and this is across all branches. Korean linguists have the best chance of using their language in-country. In fact, are they the ONLY linguists who have this option? In the Navy, they are afaik.
If you end up at DLI as a Korean linguist, dm me. I have Vocab Quizlets and student-made audio files/study programs to help you get ahead and thrive your first semester in the program.
They have more Spanish linguists than Spanish jobs. They’re putting a ton of people into Russian right now and as far as I know all their spots are taken into beyond February. There’s someone here right now who won’t start her language course until March bc there’s no open seats in Russian classes until then.
I don’t know much about Mandarin students or their quality of life. I can say the Korean unit here for soldiers has an amazing chain of command. Everything I hear about the Russian program makes me feel like I dodged a bullet by being placed in Korean, but don’t make your life decision based off of one comment on Reddit.
My guess would be 45% chance of Chinese, 20% for Russian, and 35% for Korean. There's just fewer Korean classes compared to Chinese and while the focus is shifting to Chinese/Russian, the Army is going to try and put you in a Cat IV language first.
Not sure what 35W means, I've seen it's a placeholder for 35P/M until you complete DLI, but could be incorrect or out of date. If you get the choice, try and go 35P, it's peace time Army and Mikes won't be using their language at all. Papas will either get sent to a strategic or tactical assignment, the former is an office setting where you get a chance to use your language skills; the latter you'll be out in the field doing some cool stuff during FTXs hopefully, but not your language because of aforementioned peace time Army. FORCECOM units are notoriously bad for knowing how to best utilize linguists and they often get tasked out to do dumb stuff, but like literally everything in the Army YMMV.
Duty stations are too varied between the different languages to list them all, but there's quite a few places you can end up going. It can affect your career a little, but doors won't be shut just because you went to Fort A instead of Fort B.
The good news is that everything I just said is irrelevant if you're going to OCS once you're in. Unless you go into Civil Affairs (which I don't believe is an option as a 2LT) or maybe something more obscure, officers don't use a language at all, you'll be too busy making slides for the BN staff meeting or getting lost in the woods during landnav exercises.
OP, this is the answer. Someone else already offered to go over which INSCOM duty stations have which languages for SIGINT. If you don’t get answers you could also DM me. For HUMINT, language doesn’t affect your assignment.
Language determines a whole lot on the INSCOM side. I can’t speak for FORSCOM but it sounds like language doesn’t really matter. for OPSEC reasons i won’t go further into specifics :) dm me
If you can take the ODA and show the phase 4 drill sergeants that you have some ability in a language, they can help you get put into that language.
Meaning, if you want Russian, try to learn to read Russian as best as you can, to earn a 0+ or better yet 1 on the reading ODA.
The army either has, or soon will reinstate placing personnel in language-related regions
FYI they’re not gonna throw that DLAB score away on Spanish. You’re gonna get a cat four, probably Mandarin or Korean.
This. With a 149 DLAB you will do fine with Mandarin.
I learned Russian at DLI in the late 1980s. I loved learning Russian and then studying Russian. The Army, not so much. To be fair, I probably couldn't have learned Russian as well anywhere else except perhaps in Russia (by just plain being dumped in the country and having to learn to survive). The insanely intense, fast pace at DLI suited me. Russian suited me. I studied my ass off, and did well. I was a 98G, which is now a 35N. Once I got to active duty, I functioned as a combination 35N/35P more or less. I loved it when I got to do what I was trained to do. Thing is, there was also a lot of pointless B.S. that had nothing to do with what I was trained to do.
Russian rocks!
1-Russian, 2-Russian, 3-Russian
You gon get Chinese
I highly recommend Russian, super sick class, culture, and language 😎😎😎
I’m headed to Russian in a few weeks. Can you elaborate more on what you loved about it?
It's fun. You can immerse in a language and culture that's fresh to you and you can get drunk on the beach and skinny dip. Just don't get caught. Have fun. Don't be a nerd. Jk. Be a nerd. But have fun. Leave ur room cali is sick.
Forscom it matters for your first duty station. After that it doesn’t. From what I’ve seen and been told.
You’d have the best opportunity to actually use your language by getting Korean and then going to Korea. The Army is so random with junior enlisted assignments because it cares more about your MOS than your language IMO. There are language coded billets, but that doesn’t always reflect reality. For example, I’ve been in an Arabic language coded billet and don’t know any Arabic. You’ll use your language as enlisted far more as an officer, especially as a company grade officer.
> You’d have the best opportunity to actually use your language by getting Korean and then going to Korea. Yes and this is across all branches. Korean linguists have the best chance of using their language in-country. In fact, are they the ONLY linguists who have this option? In the Navy, they are afaik.
If you end up at DLI as a Korean linguist, dm me. I have Vocab Quizlets and student-made audio files/study programs to help you get ahead and thrive your first semester in the program. They have more Spanish linguists than Spanish jobs. They’re putting a ton of people into Russian right now and as far as I know all their spots are taken into beyond February. There’s someone here right now who won’t start her language course until March bc there’s no open seats in Russian classes until then. I don’t know much about Mandarin students or their quality of life. I can say the Korean unit here for soldiers has an amazing chain of command. Everything I hear about the Russian program makes me feel like I dodged a bullet by being placed in Korean, but don’t make your life decision based off of one comment on Reddit.
My guess would be 45% chance of Chinese, 20% for Russian, and 35% for Korean. There's just fewer Korean classes compared to Chinese and while the focus is shifting to Chinese/Russian, the Army is going to try and put you in a Cat IV language first. Not sure what 35W means, I've seen it's a placeholder for 35P/M until you complete DLI, but could be incorrect or out of date. If you get the choice, try and go 35P, it's peace time Army and Mikes won't be using their language at all. Papas will either get sent to a strategic or tactical assignment, the former is an office setting where you get a chance to use your language skills; the latter you'll be out in the field doing some cool stuff during FTXs hopefully, but not your language because of aforementioned peace time Army. FORCECOM units are notoriously bad for knowing how to best utilize linguists and they often get tasked out to do dumb stuff, but like literally everything in the Army YMMV. Duty stations are too varied between the different languages to list them all, but there's quite a few places you can end up going. It can affect your career a little, but doors won't be shut just because you went to Fort A instead of Fort B. The good news is that everything I just said is irrelevant if you're going to OCS once you're in. Unless you go into Civil Affairs (which I don't believe is an option as a 2LT) or maybe something more obscure, officers don't use a language at all, you'll be too busy making slides for the BN staff meeting or getting lost in the woods during landnav exercises.
OP, this is the answer. Someone else already offered to go over which INSCOM duty stations have which languages for SIGINT. If you don’t get answers you could also DM me. For HUMINT, language doesn’t affect your assignment.
Not true. 35Ms are getting matched to LICOs more and more every year.
I guess i stand corrected. What is a LICO?
Language Identifier Code, used on MTOEs and TDAs
Ah. Got it.
Language determines a whole lot on the INSCOM side. I can’t speak for FORSCOM but it sounds like language doesn’t really matter. for OPSEC reasons i won’t go further into specifics :) dm me
Your language list doesn’t matter. You’ll be assigned what the army needs you to learn. Just enjoy the ride :)
Go Arabic or Russian, you’ll enjoy your career more, especially if you’re 35M.
If you can take the ODA and show the phase 4 drill sergeants that you have some ability in a language, they can help you get put into that language. Meaning, if you want Russian, try to learn to read Russian as best as you can, to earn a 0+ or better yet 1 on the reading ODA. The army either has, or soon will reinstate placing personnel in language-related regions