US: Military confronts critical language-skill needs

[Francis Hult]

Stars Stripes

 

Military confronts critical language-skill needs

 

Army Sgt. Amy O'Keefe, a signal intelligence specialist, was frustrated while in Iraq in 2003 trying to tell local women they needed to be searched for weapons before they could enter Army health care clinics.

 

"There would be people here or there who could speak enough English where we would maybe get a point across," O'Keefe recalled.  "But for most, I'd be like a mime having to gesture and hoping the intent was clear."

 

Army Sgt. William J. Golden knew the feeling.  He arrived in Iraq three years later with no Arabic language skill.  Because he and other soldiers couldn't communicate with locals, troop patrols, whether to make an arrest or to keep the peace, seemed to deepen Iraqi fears, Golden said.

 

Full story:

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=58056

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