LANGUAGE TRAINING for DEPLOYMENTS

[-rb]

Hi all,
I am currently enrolled in an Arabic course (civi Uni) and am curious to hear from any others who have taken language training through the military. I know in the US forces there is currently a high demand for Arabic speaking individuals, can the same be said for the Canadian Army?

Also, what MOC's would make use of such language? I know CommRsrch has the opportunity for various language training as well as Int...any other trades that would be suited for this?

As an aside, i was hoping to find Farsi/Pushtu/Dari courses first but had no luck through local PSE institutions...would love to hear from anyone who has taken these courses as well through the military or otherwise.

cheers

(fyi my status - handing in my app next week going for Reg Force 215, 031, 291 in that order)

 

[ackland]

You could be used by any trade. A buddy of mine went on tour to bosnia and he is of serbian decent. Speaks Fleunt serbian and was sent over as grizzly gunner. He was in the officers call sing so he could kinda spie on the interpreters and make sure they weren't bs ing them. They changed his name to smith. to hide is identity.

 

[from darkness lite]

TR is correct, language skills would benefit any trade.  From an Int point of view, your language skills could definitely be used by 291ers, and in Int, but you can't get into Int as an NCM right off the street.  Get your Cpl's first.  Also keep your eyes open for CANFORGEN's regarding HUMINT tours as a team member.  Although language skills are not a necessity, they are a definite asset.  However be warned, most fail their HUMINT selection course, not everyone is cut out for that line of work.  (Sorry, I won't give out any details on that subject)

 

[Armymedic]

Any trade, but as you assumed correctly certain ones would have more demand for you to use such language.

Most of the people I know learned their language at home and not thru school (Arabic, Spanish, Ukrainian, Serbo-Croat, German).

I am not sure in your case.

But I do believe there is somewhere where they keep a data base on non official language speakers for overseas missions, (Something I heard, but cannot confirm)

I know they test for other languages in Hull.

 

[-rb]

thnks for the replies,
as far as continued training once i get in as a fresh NCM, would a 291 be more likely to recieve additional training though as opposed to other MOC's ? What are the chances of a private getting in to some Language courses while on base (even in off duty hours as i'm sure primary MOC training would take priority)

Reason i ask, although currently employed in IT i've looked to the army to escape the desk job and get in to a field job that has a somewhat physical aspect to it...i'm afraid that trying to go a 291 route i'd be sitting at a monitoring station with some headphones in a windowless office, not what i'm really looking to get in the army for although i truly appreciate the valuable service these members provide.

regardless, i'm going to continue my training whether it be on my own time or on the job and see where it takes me!
cheers.

 

[from darkness lite]

Yukon:

291ers get language training as required, which is often compared to others.  A Pte in other MOCs can take all the language training he wants on his own time (with some education compensation I do believe, don't quote me on that), although in certain circumstances you can get language training on DND time (mainly french though).

Not all 291ers are buried deep in some windowless office.  The EW Squadron in Kingston is a field force that is in high demand so if posted there as a 291er you'd get lots of field time/deployments.

 

[-rb]

fdl,
familiar with the EW Squadron, just not sure of the overall status of various unit's within the army, overmanned/undermanned etc. I'll hopefully find out more when i can get in for my interview as far as the status of my listed trades.

As far as language training though, do many bases offer these courses (evenings/weekends etc.) or do people tend to do it on their own time at home as Armymedic suggested. Further to that, would any current Regs please explain a little bit about off-duty course offerings ...ex. if not assigned by DND, can we pay to enroll, are some civi courses 'hosted' on base and pay as you go etc??

Doing arabic myself is a route i thought of going but would prefer to be in a class type of environment whether it be formal or informal to help speed things up.

Also, for anyone interested here's a link to quite a few US Army Language Survival Kits that i've been going through... http://oef.monterey.army.mil/downloadlsk.html

thnks.

 

[Spooks]

I'm a Pte 031 in Edmonton right now. I am curently brushing my Russian up right now. Took it from grade 2 - grade 12 but hadn't touched it for a few years. I have enough time to go off base and take night courses but I lack my own mode of transportation to get to the schools. I haven't explored about what the military has to offer on during-work language training, though I am sure that French is taught to Officer Cadets during the summers. So as my supplement, I use those 'teach yourself a language' programs found at most software stores to keep up my vocab.

My four rubles
-Spooks

 

[winchable]

I spoke Arabic fluently as a child, still speak it..relatively easily(BARELY) it was my grammar and sentence structure and spelling.
So I'm in Arabic right now, also through civi U. Beautiful language, despite what people think it's not simply a matter of spitting at someone. It's poetic and pretty to look at too..iIt'd be wonderful if it was as common and popular as english as it's also a great deal easier to learn.

I'd encourage everyone to have a glance at it as an option. Mostly every piece of ancient greek, math philosophy etc. had to be translated into Arabic during the shakey years in the midevial era so the most authentic link we have to everything we've come to learn about Philosophy, history, mathematics and science had to be translated from Arabic at some point!

Good luck with your studies.

 

[Spooks]

Is there any courses available CF-wide for language training outside of French? I'm looking to polish up my russian and expand maybe 2-5 more eventually (eventually is defined as by the time I retire). IMO, IntOps would have something for that since foreign languages is a bonus to get into that trade (I can never find enough info about this trade) so I'll assume that the CF trains in other languages. Maybe my assumption is wrong and I'll have to goto civy-side night classes, but if I am correct I'd like to know anything that's out there.

-Spooks

 

[Pencil Tech]

Canadian Forces Language School in Ottawa deal with testing, etc, of languages other than French. I'm at home now and don't have DIN access but do a search for them when you get a chance or I notice you're with 3VP so give me a call at local 5712 and I'll send you some documentation that might help.

 

[Spooks]

I'll try to give you a call in between classes next week. Right now I'm on the PCF cycle. Anyone I need to ask for if it's a Gen.Use phone?

-Spooks

 

[Fusaki]

Spooks, this might be something you're interested in.

It's not official training, by any means. But it's still usefull for personal study.

http://oef.monterey.army.mil/downloadlsk.html

 

[Spooks]

Sweet Mary!
Thanks a million. Still want to take official on-paper stuff. I can study on my own now though.

-Spooks

 

[Pencil Tech]

Spooks, I sent you an email.

 

[Fruss]

I don't know if you noticed, but there's no french on this web site...  that's weird..  it's one of the "big" language..

Frank

 

[Pencil Tech]

Frank, there is a French forum on this website.

 

[Fruss]

Pencil Tech: I meant on the link provided by Ghostwalk, it's for the US Army, there's a lot of translation, but nothing in french..

Anyhow, it was just an observation...

cheers

Frank

 

[kas]

Back to the original question, since it's one I'm keenly interested in as well and self study will only get a person so far.

Does the Canadian Forces have any language training programs other than French? I've been drooling over the American Defense Language Institute ever since I found out about it, but it's probably too much to hope that we'd have something comparable up here.

I was also wondering which trade(s) might be most suitable for a person with an extensive background and interest in foreign languages?

Thanks. =)

 

[bgc_fan]

Back to the original question, since it's one I'm keenly interested in as well and self study will only get a person so far.

Does the Canadian Forces have any language training programs other than French? I've been drooling over the American Defense Language Institute ever since I found out about it, but it's probably too much to hope that we'd have something comparable up here.

Well, there is the language school in Asticou near Ottawa/Hull which involves foreign languages. But my understanding is that the training programs there are mainly (only?) for those who are going to be assigned to embassy-type positions. Other than that, there's the French/English training.