Cunning Linguists

by 2nd Lt. Malinda Singleton
Air Intelligence Agency Public Affairs

11/3/2006 - OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AFPN) -- As Air Force operations continue around the globe, the need for linguists dedicated to Air Force and joint missions has never been greater or more important. Air Force linguists operating on the ground and in the air make up a critical component of the nation's intelligence mission.

The success of Air Force operations can hinge on their ability to determine not merely what was said, but what was meant. That kind of language ability only comes from training and practice and had been missing from the linguist tool kit until the creation of the first dedicated Air Force language learning center in January 2005 at Offutt Air Force Base. (Read the rest.)

I played a hand in getting a similar center established here at Davis-Monthan, though I was far from instrumental. I was the Command Language Program Manager at AIA's detachment to support the COMPASS CALL squadron linguists...and I pissed off my slimy weasel of a commander (apologies to mustelids everywhere) by vocally supporting the establishment of a local Wing CLPM. We were AIA and the Wing is Air Combat Command, so Lt. Col. Weasel freaked at loosing turf to Great Big ACC, who was more than willing to invest money in its only large population of airborne linguists. To any non-weasel, this was a "win-win" scenario, since I would still maintain the scope of classified crypto-linguist training (it was an additional duty for me), while ACC would billet one of their own to manage global language maintenance full-time.

Man, it was great! Both electronic combat squadrons opened satellite learning centers (obviating the need to leave the squadron building to visit the Det center). The existing video tele-training facility got plenty of use, and participation in local and TDY language classes skyrocketed. Even we AIA guys got to play; one of my troops was attending an immersion course in China when *oops!* we bombed their Belgrade embassy. Personally, my own fluency had been coasting on the brain-stuffing I'd gotten on a 3-month immersion to Seoul 12 years earlier, so in 4 years I took advantage of one video class and one course taught by a visiting instructor.

But I guess 2nd Lt. Singleton doesn't consider us dedicated enough.