BILC Conference 2015 Madrid Spain NATO REQUIREMENTS VERSUS

BILC Conference 2015 Madrid, Spain NATO REQUIREMENTS VERSUS NATIONAL POLICIES: BRIDGING THE DIVIDE AT THE LANGUAGE SCHOOL Ruminations on the Theme: Some Personal Experience Keith L Wert BILC Chair wertk@marhallcenter. org

NATO REQUIREMENTS VERSUS NATIONAL POLICIES: BRIDGING THE DIVIDE AT THE LANGUAGE SCHOOL • The are some inherent tensions between defense-sponsored (military) language schools and military hierarchy • They are manifested in requirements generation, taskings for training/testing and governance of “military” language schools. • This is normal and multifaceted But first some contexts

Berlin Wall as a Benchmark What we US defense English language teachers thought Before • Cold War would go on forever • There would be a steady flow of arms sales to allies and friends • English would be a steady compliment to this American international affairs strategy After

Berlin Wall as a Benchmark What we US defense English language teachers thought Before • Cold War would go on forever • There would be a steady flow of arms sales to allies and friends • English would be a steady compliment in this international affairs strategy • “I can make a career of this” After

Berlin Wall as a Benchmark What we US defense English language teachers thought Before • Cold War would go on forever • There would be a steady flow of arms sales to allies and friends • English would be a steady compliment in this international affairs strategy • “I can make a career of this” After • With “peace” the need for English might drastically reduce (like when the Shah was replaced in Iran) • Even the Pentagon announced a future years flat line of weapons sales of 9 B (Not enough English in there)

Berlin Wall as a Benchmark What we US defense English language teachers thought Before • Cold War would go on forever • There would be a steady flow of arms sales to allies and friends • English would be a steady compliment in this international affairs strategy • “I can make a career of this” After • With “peace” the need for English might drastically reduce (like when the Shah was replaced in Iran) • Even the Pentagon announced a future years flat line of weapons sales of 9 B (Not enough English in there) • “I might need to retrain”

After the Berlin Wall From the view of US English defense language teachers sitting in a classroom What we did see • The US Government declared a “Peace Dividend” • The USAF moved to outsource all English instruction • The numbers of military students in San Antonio dropped precipitously • New teachers were hired “on call”. Not full employment (Mc. Teacher? ) What we didn’t see

After the Berlin Wall From the view of US English defense language teachers sitting in a classroom What we did see What we didn’t see • The US Government declared a “Peace Dividend” • The USAF moved to outsource all English instruction • The numbers of military students in San Antonio dropped precipitously • Some teachers were hired “on call”. Not full employment • The Pentagon was dead wrong about future Arms Sales and transfers • The US government would create Pf. P and eventually really support it (with money) • NATO would expand newer partnerships would be created • That NATO had its own language requirements which could figure large in our careers

After the Berlin Wall What we really didn’t see: The proliferation of English as a tool.

35 countries Note: English is not a de jure official language in the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia. Source: CIA World Factbook Washington Post

Back in the USA: You will be replaced by robots – Tech solutions cheaper than teacher and linguist head count – Language training technology solutions always just ahead – Contract linguist services and instruction wherever possible (“just in time”) – Better, faster, cheaper Well Maybe. . . Show me the money

Monetize the App “software is unlikely to replace the translators, but it could coordinate their work with clients more efficiently “ “. . a real breakthrough would come from combining software, memory and content management in a single database. But making money may still be tricky. ” Economist Magazine, 7 Feb 2015, “Say What? ”

A former Google Executive “. . . says the firm experimented with contentmanagement software but ‘decided to focus on easier stuff, like self-driving cars. ’” Economist Magazine, 7 Feb 2015, “Say What? ”

Wert: 33 years of business travel

Black: Various purposes and Arms transfer training Red: Nato Expansion / Alliance and Partnership cooperation

Language Training and Testing Exchanges • BILC Teams: – Slovenia, Sweden, Germany, Canada, UK, and US. • Level of Interest: – Albania: DCHOD and DG of Personnel – Azerbaijan: Int’l Mil Coop – Bulgaria: Deputy Chief of Staff – Czech Rep: E&T Policy – Georgia: Deputy Minister of Defense – Latvia: Deputy State Secretary – Macedonia: CHOD – Netherlands: Head, Int’l Mil Coop – Romania: Head of Mo. D Human Resources – Russia: Mo. D Director of Education – Serbia: The J-7 and Mo. D Personnel Sector – Slovakia: Director of Military Education • Methodology – Language Policies – Military personnel policies – Language instruction and testing Serbia: May 2009 19 19

Language Training and Testing Exchanges Ø Development of a language policy integrated into military personnel policies Ø Development of a language training governance structure that meets the objectives of the language policy Ø Establishing effective and efficient use of language training resources - Appropriate balance between intensive and non intensive programs - Effective and efficient language testing programs IAW NATO standards - Ensuring resources are allocated in a transparent, prioritized and coordinated manner - Effective language training management execution practices - Transparent procedures for faculty professional development - Harmonizing bilateral support for language training - Development of Syllabi and Testing at STANAG 6001 Level 3 20

There are some inherent tensions between defense-sponsored (military) language schools and military hierarchy Language Business Culture • • • Military Business Culture • Operations Tempo: fast Progress is incremental • Execute the plan Time on task • Training and Education Certain elements of Modular approach proficiency building are • Reorganizing constantly immutable • Constantly changing Stability is prized requirements Professional specialization is • Different professional normal assignments Tell your boss “no” • Follow orders

They (tensions) are manifested in requirements generation, taskings for training/testing and governance of “military” language schools. • Requirements testing teams become taskings for language schools and – Language policies developed without schoolhouse input – Arbitrary determination of course lengths for reasons other than building language proficiency – Personnel not selected for assignments soon enough – Personnel require levels too high to attain – Tests scheduled ad hoc which can disrupt new test development in small testing teams – Specialized language requirements that faculty members may not have expertise or confidence to develop and teach rapidly

Language and Personnel Policy MOD/General Staff/Training Command/ Defence Academy/University Language Schoolhouse Are they talking to each other?

This is normal and multifaceted • Military language schools are commonly part of a military training command structure or part of a Defence Academy/University – Neither are ideal as the “culture clash” remains – Schoolhouse directly under the Mo. D has potential in my mind – But Mo. Ds tend to “do policy” and “not programs” • The increased emphasis on higher level proficiencies will not decrease the gap in understanding between language school and defence authorities • It is probable that these tensions are inevitable and not remediable – Schoolhouse personnel will have to maintain a high tolerance for ambiguity

If you asked the schoolhouses. . . Black Sea Language School Commandants Conference Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Turkey and Slovenia

Study Group 1 Optimal Language Training Structure • Develop a multi year language strategy in line with military personnel policy that survives military command change (ex. Co. S, Mo. D, govt. changes, etc. ) – Set clear objectives (manpower/force goals and associated language targets) which will help in accurate selection of course participants – Analyze all language force requirements, not just international posts and training courses, but also unit operational needs – Understand that certain personnel are language gifted assets and are not to be wasted after language training – Also understand that certain personnel do not have language aptitude and despite training, will not reach desired level (3333, etc. ) Black Sea Language School Commandants Conference

Study Group 1 Optimal Language Training Structure • Leave the school house alone and do not dictate on practical language education matters – Consult with schoolhouse to see if language requirements can be met realistically – Attention needs to be paid on the actual results of the training, not just that training was provided, especially in areas of post placement of graduates – Generally, intensive, long-term (ex. 10 months) language training is more effective than short-term or non-intensive language training in producing lasting results Black Sea Language School Commandants Conference

BILC Conference 2015 Madrid, Spain NATO REQUIREMENTS VERSUS NATIONAL POLICIES: BRIDGING THE DIVIDE AT THE LANGUAGE SCHOOL Language schools need to “Mind the Gap” because they will continue to straddle it.