Because of the skills and knowledge that army interpreters can provide to the military, they are in high demand. In many countries, you can work as a civilian or join the army to become an army interpreter. This position may lead to work as an interpreter for government agencies, educational institutions, and international organizations. Specific requirements vary depending on where you live, but most require knowledge of a foreign language as well as military training.
You will be one step closer to becoming an army interpreter if you are fluent in more than one language, though it is also possible to become an army interpreter without this knowledge. You can put your language skills to use by passing a test demonstrating that you are multilingual. Because the army collects information and intelligence from all over the world, there are many possible combinations of languages that are in demand.
An individual who is not fluent in multiple languages can take a test to demonstrate that he or she has the ability to learn languages in many places. This necessitates learning languages at a faster rate than the rest of the population. If you’ve had success learning languages in the past or think being an army interpreter would be fun, you can try to get a high score on the exam to prove it. To become an army interpreter, people in most countries must go through this process.
To work as an army interpreter, you must complete army training, but the specific type of training required varies depending on where you live. In the United States, for example, becoming an army interpreter entails completing basic combat training for soldiers followed by advanced individual language and culture training. Understanding cultural differences, contract negotiations, and how to provide medical support are all possible aspects of training.
Many people go on to have careers in the private sector after working as army interpreters. Individuals with these skills have a lot of job opportunities thanks to the advanced level of training provided by most armies. Because of the security clearance that being an army interpreter provides, which means you can handle classified information, government agencies frequently hire people who have worked as army interpreters.