FirstSpear TV

The Big Picture – Defense Language Institute in the Early 1960s

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!

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21 Responses to “The Big Picture – Defense Language Institute in the Early 1960s”

  1. JKATX says:

    Yep, basic Korean course, class of 1996.

    Some great times.

  2. Jon, OPT says:

    Optactical.com was started while I attended in 2003.

  3. AS says:

    Polish. 1992. Didn’t finish though. Too young. I had to get out of the classroom. Reclassed to 11B1P. Best choice I ever made.

  4. WagenCAV says:

    Russian basic course July 2000

  5. Rob371 says:

    I remember being in the bathroom at the PX and seeing graffiti on the walls….in every language but English.

  6. redbeard33 says:

    Thai 1990 or ’91

  7. Pixiegloss says:

    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!

  8. Paul says:

    Formal-ish Pashto 2007. DLI instructor taught at our home station for 4 weeks.

  9. DSR says:

    Russian ’91. Then the wall came down and my MOS froze!

  10. Fly on the Wall says:

    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.

  11. Switched to French says:

    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.

  12. Sgt A says:

    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.

  13. Kitaf says:

    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.

  14. Craig says:

    Spanish somewhere around 93-94 ish.

    Korean 2003.

  15. tm says:

    Korean, late 90s!

  16. PM says:

    I got to attend twice.

    Russian 1989-1990 – Berlin Wall came down second month in class.

    Modern Standard Arabic 1994-1995.

  17. Chris says:

    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?

  18. Sws says:

    Korean – 2011
    DLIFLC has become a form of purgatory. Those who make it through come out crazy, and the others see tarnished careers