Army linguists serve as translators and help military personnel communicate with people who speak different languages. Anyone interested in becoming an army linguist may need to enlist in the military before applying for the position. Non-military personnel may be hired as linguists by army units in other cases, and these individuals may be required to have completed a foreign language degree.
In many countries, military training begins with basic training or boot camp, where new recruits must pass a series of physical endurance tests. Anyone interested in becoming an army linguist must complete basic training as well as any written assessments required of new recruits. Following that, these individuals may be required to work as entry-level soldiers or privates for a period of time before being eligible to apply for specific jobs. In some cases, college graduates can enlist as officers, and after completing basic training, these individuals may be able to take on linguist roles.
While many army linguists work in front-line roles, some army units also employ cryptologic linguists who work behind the scenes. These people are in charge of intercepting and translating foreign communications. Linguists are frequently required to be multilingual so that documents and audio recordings of conversations can be quickly translated without having to go through multiple translators. If you want to work as an army linguist translating intercepts, you’ll probably need to complete at least one foreign language degree program. In other cases, army units simply hire foreigners to act as linguists, and these individuals may or may not be required to complete army training courses.
Many military units hire civilian linguists on a contract basis in addition to permanent employees. These people are usually people who have completed language degrees or foreigners who can communicate in a variety of dialects. Anyone interested in becoming an army linguist must pass a background check, just like military personnel.
During peacetime, many linguists are hired through formal hiring processes, but during wartime, military commanders enlist the assistance of translators on the battlefield. These linguists are frequently well-educated individuals who live in close proximity to the fighting. These people are frequently paid in cash and are not required to have any academic credentials. Due to a lack of screening, many battlefront linguists provide commanders with inaccurate information, either intentionally or inadvertently.