Although I graduated from the Defense Language Institute’s German School in 1987, this episode of the Army’s “The Big Picture” produced in 1960, brings back some memories.
Have any readers attended DLI or other formal language training? I also attended a Haitian-Creole course at Fort Bragg in 93.
Thanks to fellow graduate and Army retiree John W for the find!
Yep, basic Korean course, class of 1996.
Some great times.
Optactical.com was started while I attended in 2003.
Polish. 1992. Didn’t finish though. Too young. I had to get out of the classroom. Reclassed to 11B1P. Best choice I ever made.
Russian basic course July 2000
I remember being in the bathroom at the PX and seeing graffiti on the walls….in every language but English.
It’s mostly still there. Probably been redone a few times, but that is amusing.
Thai 1990 or ’91
Mandarin 1991 and again in 2008…post-911 DLI is an entirely different animal than pre-911. Great experiences both times. One of the things I remember so fondly about DLI is the parties and how there would be all these conversations going on in different languages in different small groups all over the place. A couple beers and nobody felt self-conscious about speaking! So much fun!
Formal-ish Pashto 2007. DLI instructor taught at our home station for 4 weeks.
Russian ’91. Then the wall came down and my MOS froze!
Russian, 1995.
Rarely used other than being compelled to read warning labels on small arms ammo crates for commanders who thought that “Warning: Flammable” and “Produced in Plant 263 June 1974” meant they’d found the Spetznaz WMD cache.
Arabic – Modern Standard. 2012. Best 64 weeks of my life. Out of class by 2, at Bayonet and Black Horse by 230, sundown at Carmel Beach. Can’t beat it.
Switch to French in January, way easier and same FLP pay.
I went from German to French
Arabic Basic Course 2007, Pashto (DLI-E) 2010. [and an Iraqi course tacked onto our TSOC class]
The professors we had in our school were not only properly brilliant, but having instructors many of whom were polyglot poet laureates made that such a unique experience.
Arabic Basic Course, 2008. I wish I had realized at the time how good I had it there. Additionally, it’s amazing how much respect there is in the civilian world for the quality of the education there. Taking Arabic classes in college later to finish my bachelors was a wholly different experience.
The quality, professionalism, and dedication of the teachers there is outstanding. I recently just heard from several friends that one of our best instructors, badass, and just all-around great guy Ustadth Kamal Saleh passed away. RIP.
Spanish somewhere around 93-94 ish.
Korean 2003.
Korean, late 90s!
I got to attend twice.
Russian 1989-1990 – Berlin Wall came down second month in class.
Modern Standard Arabic 1994-1995.
Basic French, ’99. Got promoted to SGT there, was amazed by the instant 3-foot bubble I had around me at the little snack shack across the street from our schoolhouse.
Anyone else have fond memories of Compagno’s?
A little awkward, but sweet guy. Food was amazing!
Korean – 2011
DLIFLC has become a form of purgatory. Those who make it through come out crazy, and the others see tarnished careers