Selecting Foreign Languages for United States Army Special ...
[Pages:105]SELECTING FOREIGN LANGUAGES FOR UNITED STATES ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES
A thesis presented to the Faculty of the US Army Command and General Staff College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE General Studies
by BENETT P. SUNDS, MAJ, USA B.S., Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, Missouri, 1992
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 2006
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3. DATES COVERED (From - To)
16-06-2006
Master's Thesis
Aug 2005 - Jun 2006
4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
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Selecting Foreign Languages for United States Army Special Operations Forces
5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER
6. AUTHOR(S)
Sunds, Benett P., MAJ, U.S. Army
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U.S. Army Command and General Staff College ATTN: ATZL-SWD-GD 1 Reynolds Ave. Ft. Leavenworth, KS 66027-1352
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14. ABSTRACT The Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) is creating an ever-increasing role for U.S. Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF). This fact is evident with the approved increase in Special Operations force structure in the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review. With the global nature of the current war, the demand for culturally attuned and foreign language capable Soldiers have never been higher. Dubbed "the long war," GWOT early lessons learned identified an increased need for various foreign languages at greater proficiency levels. As the U.S. Army component of USSOCOM has the preponderance of forces with foreign language capabilities, this study focuses on the selection method for foreign languages taught to ARSOF. This thesis' central research question is: Is the current model or methodology for foreign language selection for ARSOF relevant and effective for the global nature of operations today and the future?
This thesis examines the current methodology for foreign language selection for ARSOF, and compares that model to similar models of like purpose. History shows a tendency in SOF to react to foreign language requirements vice anticipate them. Proficiency is increasing in initial language training, and to some degree in maintaining proficiency; however, the selection process determining the languages taught receives little attention.
15. SUBJECT TERMS
U.S. Army Special Operations Forces, Foreign Languages, Foreign Language Program, Foreign Language Selection Process, Strategy, Special Forces, Civil Affairs, Psychological Operations
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104
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MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE THESIS APPROVAL PAGE
Name of Candidate: MAJ Benett P. Sunds Thesis Title: Selecting Foreign Languages for United States Army Special Operations Forces
Approved by: Michael R. Czaja, M.S. Michael G. Spight, M.S. Edward J. Robarge, Ph.D.
, Thesis Committee Chair , Member , Member
Accepted this 16th day of June 2006 by:
Robert F. Baumann, Ph.D.
, Director, Graduate Degree Programs
The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student author and do not necessarily represent the views of the US Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to this study should include the foregoing statement.)
ii
ABSTRACT
SELECTING FOREIGN LANGUAGES FOR UNITED STATES ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES, by MAJ Ben Sunds, 104 pages.
The Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) is creating an ever-increasing role for US Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF). This fact is evident with the approved increase in Special Operations force structure in the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review. With the global nature of the current war, the demand for culturally attuned and foreign language capable Soldiers have never been higher. Dubbed "the long war," GWOT early lessons learned identified an increased need for various foreign languages at greater proficiency levels. As the US Army component of USSOCOM has the preponderance of forces with foreign language capabilities, this study focuses on the selection method for foreign languages taught to ARSOF. This thesis' central research question is: Is the current model or methodology for foreign language selection for ARSOF relevant and effective for the global nature of operations today and the future? This thesis examines the current methodology for foreign language selection for ARSOF, and compares that model to similar models of like purpose. History shows a tendency in SOF to react to foreign language requirements vice anticipate them. Proficiency is increasing in initial language training, and to some degree in maintaining proficiency; however, the selection process determining the languages taught receives little attention.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page
MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE THESIS APPROVAL PAGE ............. ii ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................... iii ACRONYMS .......................................................................................................................v ILLUSTRATIONS ........................................................................................................... vii TABLES .......................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1 CHAPTER 2. WORLD LANGUAGES AND ARSOF.....................................................13 CHAPTER 3. CURRENT INTEREST, TRENDS AND MODELS .................................33 CHAPTER 4. ANALYSIS.................................................................................................59 CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .....................................74 REFERENCE LIST ...........................................................................................................90 INITIAL DISTRIBUTION LIST ......................................................................................94 CERTIFICATION FOR MMAS DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT .................................95
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ACRONYMS
AFSOF ARSOF CA CGSOC DA PAM DCS DLI DOD GAO GCC GWOT IO MG NAVSOF NGO PSYOP SF SMDR SOF SOFLO SWA SWCS TRAP
Air Force Special Operations Forces Army Special Operations Forces Civil Affairs Command and General Staff Officers Course Department of the Army Pamphlet Deputy Chief of Staff Defense Language Institute Department of Defense General Accounting Office Geographic Combatant Command Global War on Terrorism International Organization Major General Navy Special Operations Forces Non-Governmental Organization Psychological Operations Special Forces Structure Manning Decision Review Special Operations Forces Special Operations Forces Language Office Surface, Ward & Associates Special Warfare Center and School Training Requirements Arbitration Panel
v
TSCP
Theater Security Cooperation Plan
TSOC
Theater Special Operations Command
USASOC United States Army Special Operations Command
USSOCOM United States Special Operations Command
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ILLUSTRATIONS Page
Figure 1. Top 10 Most Influential Languages of the World ...........................................43 Figure 2. Results of Most Influential Languages Model.................................................45 Figure 3. Weighted Criteria for Proposed Model............................................................84
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