Special Operations Forces Language and Culture Needs Assessment: Considering Language in the Promotion Process

Abstract

Providing Special Operations Forces (SOF) operators with opportunities for career advancement based on their language proficiency is one potential way to motivate them to acquire and maintain proficiency. This report describes opinions of SOF operators and leaders about whether language proficiency should be considered in the promotion process. SOF operators and leaders reported mixed opinions, with the largest percentage indicating that language should not be considered in the promotion process. The following issues need to be considered by decision-makers when considering including language proficiency as part of the SOF promotion policy: (1) prioritization of language proficiency in relation to other SOF skills, (2) consideration of impact on native versus non-native speakers, (3) consideration of language difficulty and language level, and (4) consideration of barriers that may interfere with acquisition and maintenance of language proficiency.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 09, 2010
Accession Number
ADA634167

Entities

People

  • Eric A. Surface
  • Natalie Wright
  • Nathaniel W. Phillips
  • Reanna Poncheri Harman
  • Sarah C. Bienkowski
  • Stephen J. Ward

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Air Force
  • Attrition
  • Contracts
  • Deployment
  • Foreign Languages
  • Language
  • Maintenance
  • Marine Corps
  • Personnel Management
  • Professional Development
  • Psychological Operations
  • Special Forces
  • Special Operations Forces
  • Training
  • United States
  • United States Special Operations Command

Readers

  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Military Leadership and Professional Education.
  • Speech Processing/Speech Recognition.