The nation's defense depends on information from foreign language newspapers, magazines, radio broadcasts and other sources. Therefore, it's very important that some members of the Army be able to read and understand the many languages of the world. Nowhere is this more important than in the Middle Eastern countries of Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently the Army needs Middle-Eastern language speaking individuals to serve as Translator Aides in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) and help with the rebuilding efforts. Individuals qualified for this program will have an eight-year commitment.
The Translator Aide is primarily responsible for converting written or spoken foreign languages into English, and they specialize in a number of Middle-Eastern languages. Some of your duties as a Translator Aide may include:
- Preparing non-technical translations into the target language and performing sight translations from a target language into English
- Perform oral interpretation functions.
- Assisting a military contracting officer with a local purchase to providing interpretation support at a military traffic control point.
- You may even be required to assist security personnel in screening the local population at military checkpoints.
- Other duties may include providing interpretation assistance for the Public Affairs Office (PAO) during local media events and translation of local newspapers or pamphlets.
Requirements:
Proficient in one or more of the following required target languages:
- Arabic-Modern Standard
- Arabic-Gulf-Iraqi
- Arabic-Egyptian
- Arabic-Jordanian
- Arabic-Syrian
- Arabic-Lebanese
- Arabic-Yemeni
- Arabic-Sudanese
- Arabic-Maghrebi
- Arabic-Algerian
- Arabic-Libyan
- Arabic-Moroccan
- Arabic-Tunisian
- Pushtu/Pashto/Pachto
- Pushtu-Afghan
- Kurdish
- Kurdish-Behdini (Kurmanji)
- Kurdish-Sorani
- Persian-Afghan (Dari)
- Persian-Iranian (Farsi)
Training:
Job training for a Translator Aide requires you to demonstrate proficiency of the English language at the Defense Language Institute, English Language Center. The length of your stay will depend on the level of your English language proficiency. Once you have successfully completed this, you must attend and successfully complete nine weeks of Basic Combat Training (BCT) where you will learn the basic skills necessary to become a Soldier. Immediately following BCT you will attend Advanced Individual Training (AIT). While at AIT, you will learn the specific skills required to successfully perform your day to day duties as a Translator Aide.
Helpful Skills:
Helpful attributes include:
- Demonstrate reading, listening and speaking skills of the English Language
- A talent for foreign languages
- An interest in speech, communications and foreign languages
- An interest in working with people
- An interest in reading and writing
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Misc. Information
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55 years, this has been the basic guidebook for enlisted leaders
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