I took the ASVAB and the language test and scored high enough to become a linguist. I know I want to do that but I'm unsure of what is going to happen exactly. I know I'm going to do the split-option enlistment at 17, but what my question is, will they send me to a linguist school right out of highschool or will I have to wait a bit?

You will recieve orders on when to report to your MOS school. It will be after you graduate HS. How soon will be dependant on when the school has class seats.

Schools are restricted though for the split-option route. Be sure your's is still available if you decide on that course.

Okay, I'm a two-time graduate of the Defense Language Institute.

I need more information to help you figure this out, though.

What service are you joining? The services have their own criteria.

What specialty (MOS) are you going into? There are differences in the approach for language training depending on the MOS you will be training into.

As a for instance - in the US Army, a 98G Voice Intercept Operator will attend language training first, then upon completion of language training, will report to their AIT for technical training. Add 8-10 weeks for basic training and you won't see your first line unit for anywhere from 14 months to 2 years.

a 97E Interrogator will do AIT first, then go to Language School. Again, a good long time between reporting for basic training, completing all of your training, and getting to your first line unit.

Good luck. As a linguist, you will always have at least one trade you can market after you finish your military training.

If you already know a language do you still have to go to classes?

Originally Posted by Renegade

If you already know a language do you still have to go to classes?

If your skill in that language is that of an "Educated Native Speaker" - i.e., you can score 4 Reading 4 Listening and 3 Speaking on the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) you may not have to take the language school course.

Of course, if you have any experience living among foreigners here in the US, you may know that being raised with a non-English language spoken in the house in no way guarantees a person being able to use that language in a professional environment.

Take the training if its offered. It's like free pay.

I hope it isnt learned from a book how to use the language because I use slang. I know Russian and I'm currently learning Serbian. I wonder if that will be any use to them

Nearly all language training at the Defense Language Institute is done by well-educated native speakers. In my case, for Russian I had instructors who had been educators or government workers in the USSR prior to defecting to the West. I remember one instructor at a language refresher course - Ludmilla P. - married to Julian P. Both were actors in the Soviet film industry before they were blacklisted due to having "western sympathies". Julian went on to a distinguished career with Voice of America, and Ludya taught refresher courses in Munich and Garmisch.

I hope they take me aslong as they don't mind my slight Belorussian accent when speaking Russian