Translator

TranslatorArmy Job MOS 09L Interpreter/TranslatorMilitary occupational specialty (MOS) 09L (which is spoken aloud as zero nine lima) started out as a pilot program when the Army was seeking mora fluent speakers of the Arabic, Pashto and Dari Persian languages. It is an Army job that will likely put you in combat situations in the Middle East or Afghanistan and is crucial to both government relations and tactical strategy. To serve in this job, you have to be able to fluently speak and read a dialect of one of these languages. Cultural awareness of Middle Eastern countries is key to this role as well. Heres the list of language dialects the Army seeks in candidates for MOS 09L Arabic-Modern StandardArabic-Gulf-IraqiArabic-EgyptianArabic-LevantineArabic-YemeniArabic-SudaneseArabic-MaghrebiArabic-AlgerianArabic-LibyanArabic-MoroccanArabic-TunisianPushtu/Pashto/PachtoPushtu-AfghanKurdishKurdish-Behdini (Kurmanji)Kurdish-SoraniPersian-Afghan (Dari)Persian-Iranian (Farsi) Duties As mov e up the ranks of this job, your duties and expected skills will become more complex. In the beginning, youll read and translate foreign language material into English, and vice versa. Then, youll provide guidance to others, supervising the development of English-speaking skills in foreign nationals and foreign language skills in Army personnel. Eventually, youll prepare written translations and be able to demonstrate foreign language reading proficiency at a rating of R2, as measured by the Defense Language Proficiency Test, or an acceptable equivalent. Moving up the ranks, youll verify documents and serve as a high-level escort as well as an interpreter and translator. Qualifying Soldiers at the upper ranks of this MOS will need to be able to qualify for a secret security clearance from the Department of Defense. It will involve a background check of finances and any criminal record. Prior drug or alcohol abuse may be disqualifying. Soldiers who need to improve their English s kills will spend time at theDefense Language Institute English Language Center. By the end of the training, youll need to score at least an 80 on theEnglish Comprehension Level Test(ECLT), an L2 (listening) and S2 (speaking) on the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) in English, and at least a 10 on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) tests. If you score below a 10 on the ASVAB, but meet the ECLT and OPI requirements, you may be eligible for an ASVAB enhancement course at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. Training For those soldiers who dont need English enhancement training, following ten weeks of Basic Training (also known as boot camp), youll spend six weeks in Advanced Individual Training at Fort Jackson. Similar Civilian Occupations With the experience and training, youll receive in this Army job will open doors to a host of civilian career opportunities. You can find work as an interpreter or translator for private companies and government agencies, and w ork in many different positions where bilingual skills are needed.