What kind of life style does an air force linguist lead?

Question

The life style never came to me, how conditions may be until my father really sat down with me and talked about the possible conditions with me. I plan to go into the air force and become an airborne linguist. This is what i wanted to do. Now understand that I am female, and I am white. I do not believe anyone in the middle east would listen to me, if i needed to speak with them. So, I do not plan on learning arabic, pashto, farsi, etc. unless that is the only way i can become a linguist for the airforce, as it is .. more than likely needed more than an italian or french linguist. 

But. I want to know how the life style of a linguist is. Generally how long they go on tours, .. ahah what they do with their cars in between, anything basic to complex..I want to know as much as you know about the life style :)

( i say cars b/c as far as i know, generally tours are for about a year and you go back in forth from over seas to the states, i dont want to buy & sell a car every year.. >.< )

butterknife25 · Accepted Answer

1. First thing you have to do is take the DLAB to determine if you have an aptitude for languages. If you do well then you might be able to becom a linguist. You have no choice on what language you get .  "The Air Force needs come first." remember that phrase

2. Your job will require a Top Secret Security clearance, so your background will be investigated thoroughly. If you can't get a clearance then you can't be a linguist

3. There are two types of linguist, airborne and ground. Airborne Linguist fly and the ground linguist work in buildings with no windows.

4. If you get airbone you'll have to go to SERE school (Survival Evasion Rescue Escape) which is pretty difficult. The Linguist tech school is almost two years long. 

5. You won't be an interrogator so you don't have to worry about "anyone in the middle east" listening to you. You will be translating languages.

6. As far as tours, it depends on your language. Some linguists never go overseas and some spend the majority of their careers overseas. 

 Go talk to a recruiter or join this website afforums.com

usafbrat64 · Answer

I'll add a little to the above poster, who did a GREAT job!

Stateside, you could be at a base for 2 years or 20.  You never know.  If you go overseas, you'll be there for at least 2 years, unless it is a remote.

Cars... the Air Force will ship one POV overseas and back again at no cost to you.  You don't have to sell your car and buy a new one at every move.  Our current van is on it's second overseas tour!! (Tx, Germany, ND, UK).  Hasn't cost us a penny to move it.

As a linguist, you may be tasked to go somewhere with little to no warning, for a few days to months.  

It is a VERY intense job, sitting for hours sometimes, just listening to communication and translating.  You will not be able to talk to your friends or partner about your job and your day.  Your only outlet will be those you work with.

Other than that, you live the same life as anyone else in the Air Force.  Moving, unpredictable hours, and deployments!!

lawrencegrossman · Answer

First you want to make sure you are accepted to the Defense Language Institute in Monterrey CA.  That is great duty.  You want to make sure you have a clean record first to get a top secret codeword clearance done by the FBI.  You can work in the service for the NSA.   It is actually pretty boring work, but it does keep you out of combat.  If you stay in, you can have a good career or you can opt out after your enlistment and work directly for the NSA or CIA or Homeland Security.  Good pay and benefits.  Also the right language can get you a job with a multi-national corporation.
Overseas tours run either 1 year or 1 1/2 years.

? · Answer

Airborne Linguist

Trending News

What kind of life style does an air force linguist lead?

4 Answers