How to Become an Army Linguist

As we mentioned before, linguists are needed for every aspect of the military, including intelligence, negotiations and special operations. And as an Army linguist, you will be asked to read, write, understand and speak a foreign language. The Army may ask you to perform a variety of tasks using your language skills, including everything from face-to-face, audio or document translation in all types of negotiations.

If you want your language to be the sole purpose of your job, you should look into a career as an interpreter/translator or a cryptologic linguist. The Army classifies these careers as "language dependent" [source: GoArmy.com]. As an interpreter/translator for the Army, you would be responsible for translating both oral and written communications and participating in or leading language and cultural awareness training. You must be fluent in at least one of more than 20 Middle Eastern languages, including Farsi, Dari and Pushtu-Afghan [source: GoArmy.com].

Cryptologic linguists specialize in any language they choose, and are mostly responsible for detecting and identifying foreign communications using signals equipment. This may include general information, mission-specific reporting or tips due to changes in communication, as well as translating transcripts of foreign communication recordings [source: GoArmy.com].

If you're talented in languages, but you don't want them to be the focus of your career, there are many other opportunities within the Army linguist program, including Signals Intelligence Analyst, Human Intelligence Collector, Imagery Analyst or Intelligence Analyst. While these positions still require fluency in a foreign language, responsibilities include non-language skills such as visual surveillance, information collection through special operations or interrogations, and analysis of the enemy's capabilities, vulnerabilities, and plans of action [source: GoArmy.com].

But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. Before you can apply for any of these positions, you have to meet several stringent requirements for inclusion in the Army linguist program. We'll learn more about these criteria on the next page.

Before you're considered for a job as an Army linguist, you must take a test to prove your level of competency in language skills. The Defense Language Aptitude Battery determines how well you can learn a new language if you're a native English speaker. You must score a 105 or higher (out of 176) if you hope to attend the Army's Defense Language Institute [source: GoArmy.com]. If you're already fluent in a second language, you must prove your skill level through a Defense Language Proficiency Test or an Oral Proficiency Interview, scoring a 2/2 or higher.

If English is your second language, you must also prove your fluency in the English language, and you could be sent to school to sharpen your skills. If English is not your native language, you must also prove your citizenship to be considered for a job as an Army linguist. And top secret security clearance is also required. This involves a background check and interviews with your family and friends to determine if you are capable of working with and protecting classified national security information. Finally, you must have normal color vision; you cannot be color blind as an Army linguist [source: GoArmy.com].

Of course, to become an Army linguist, you must enlist in the Army, which requires you meet a separate set of requirements: You need a high school diploma or the equivalent (GED), and you must also be in "good moral standing," good health and physical condition, and between the ages of 17 and 35 [source: GoArmy.com].