Language action: 09L training and actions in the Global War on Terrorism

Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin, Oct-Dec, 2004 by Peter A. Shaver

The U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca (USAIC&FH) and the Defense Language Institute (DLI) have collaborated with Colonel Shawn Mateer, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Kirk, and First Lieutenant (1LT) Carol Stahl of the 4th Training Brigade at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, to implement the 09L training. We have personally attended all of the 09L graduations, talked with the soldiers and cadre during their field training exercises, and met with the 4th Brigade's leadership. We are satisfied their training is superior, which has resulted in the best translators and interpreters to meet contemporary operating environment (COE) requirements. In the following paragraphs, 1LT Stahl discusses the Translator Aide mission and real world activities of 09L soldiers.

True Patriots--09L Soldiers Fighting the GWOT

by First Lieutenant Carol A. Stahl

In order to successfully fight and win the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), we must be able to communicate effectively with the local population. The Army currently has a severe shortage of linguists and cannot adequately support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with its current supply of linguists. An initiative by the Deputy Secretary of Defense created a new military occupational specialty (MOS) 09L (Translator Aide) to help fill the vital requirement for translators and interpreters.

The 09L program recruits native and heritage speakers of Middle Eastern descent. All the soldiers are U.S. residents and approximately one-third are U.S. citizens. These soldiers enlist directly into the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) and upon graduation from advanced individual training (AIT) are mobilized, and shortly thereafter deploy in support of either Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF) or Operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF). To date, 63 soldiers are 09L program graduates. These soldiers speak a range of languages to include: Arabic, Kurdish, Farsi, Dari, Urdu, and Turkish. The 09L soldiers have deployed in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Horn of Africa.

Reports from the commanders in the field and the 09L soldiers themselves, support the conclusion that these soldiers are vital assets for our fighting force. One commander stated that his unit's productivity increased 150 percent since the arrival of his 09L soldier. These soldiers perform a variety of missions throughout the theaters. Some soldiers are interpreters for senior officers, while others support interrogators and human intelligence (HUMINT) collection teams. The 09L soldiers are also serving in Civil Affairs positions, not only building schools, bridges, and houses, but most importantly, building a trust between U.S. soldiers and the local populations. Many 09L soldiers are picked to accompany special missions, and even travel with the Special Forces. One soldier in particular described his job as interpreting daily between U.S. Forces and a local trucking company. In addition, this soldier went out on several missions that led to the capture of local insurgents along with a cache of important documents that required immediate translation. This same soldier teaches Arabic classes to the soldiers in his unit, and has volunteered to teach English to some of the local Iraqis. The potential of 09L soldiers is limitless.

The 09L soldiers are natives of numerous countries throughout the Middle East. Their backgrounds are diverse and their stories are fascinating. Some soldiers have fought in civil wars, been wounded in combat, fled persecution, lived in refugee camps, or were members of the Republican Guard. One soldier was gassed by Saddam Hussein when he attacked the Kurds. These soldiers hate Saddam Hussein and terrorism every bit as much if not more than all other Americans. They have lost their family members to the cruelty of tyrants, and have a love and appreciation beyond compare of the freedoms of the United States of America.

The main reason soldiers join this program is so they can give back to the country that has done so much for them: they want nothing more than to serve as U.S. soldiers. Many 09Ls still have loved ones in war-torn countries. Many within their native countries consider them traitors. These soldiers put much more than their own lives on the line when they joined the U.S. Army, and that is why, beyond any doubt, they are True Patriots.

First Lieutenant Carol Stahl has commanded the 09L Translator Aide Program since its inception in fall 2003 and helped develop it. The course. taught at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, has graduated four classes with 63 09L graduates directly supporting OIF and OEF. LT Stahl enlisted in the Army and attended the 63-week Basic Arabic Course at the Defense Language Institute after completion of basic training. After her advanced individual training, she was assigned to Fort Gordon, Georgia, in 1999. In October 2001, she entered Officer Candidate School; she graduated as an Air Defense Artillery Officer and served at Osan Air Force Base, Korea, as a Tactical Control Officer and Support Platoon Leader. 1LT Stahl earned Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in History from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a Secondary Social Studies Education Teaching Certificate.