Special Operations Forces Language Transformation Strategy Needs Assessment Project: Air Force Operator Survey Report

Abstract

This study is one component of the SOF Language Transformation Strategy Needs Assessment Project. The larger study consisted of 21 focus groups conducted at units across the SOF community and several issue-oriented surveys conducted via the Web. This report provides findings for AFSOC personnel who responded to the SOF Operator Survey (N = 41). Among other findings, AFSOC personnel expressed a need for Military-technical vocabulary on their missions, which seem to be primarily focused on training or teaching others. AFSOC personnel indicated the common mission on their most recent deployment was Foreign Internal Defense (FID), and that FID missions require both Listening skills and Military-specific language. AFSOC personnel reported using their language skills frequently and indicated that they felt prepared for the most recent mission in terms of language and cultural understanding. However, AFSOC personnel did not feel as confident in their ability to use military terminology and conversational skills as they do satisfying minimum language requirements. AFSOC personnel relied on interpreters as a way to compensate for weaker language skills.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 15, 2004
Accession Number
ADA634235

Entities

People

  • Eric A. Surface

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Personnel
  • Deployment
  • Employment
  • Information Operations
  • Instructors
  • Language
  • Military Science
  • Military Training
  • Personnel Management
  • Psychological Operations
  • Special Operations Forces
  • Students
  • Trainees
  • Training
  • United States
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Computational Linguistics
  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Military Mobilization and Reserve Forces Studies.