New Pashtu Course Prepares Marines

  • Published
  • By Scott Jarmon
  • 7th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AFB, Texas --  The 316th Training Squadron at Goodfellow Air Force Base now offers a Pashtu cryptologic language analysis course to meet the immediate needs of the United States Marine Corps. 

Pashtu is an Indo-European language spoken primarily in Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. There are nearly 45 million people in the region who speak the Pashtu; it is the official language of Afghanistan. 

The course provides supplemental training that includes geography, demographics, culture, and advanced cryptologic skills that will prepare Marine Corps. Pashtu language analysts to meet the rigorous mission requirements of operations in Afghanistan.

 "As Marines continue to surge into the tribal regions of southern Afghanistan, the need for well-trained cryptologic linguists capable of providing targetable intelligence to the tactical commander becomes imperative," said Marine Master Sergeant Cory Sparks. 

"The new Pashtu Supplemental Cryptologic Language Course, a joint effort between the Marine Corps Detachment and 316 TRS, will provide our Pashtu linguists with enhanced technical skills as well as a greater understanding of cultural sensitivities within the Afghanistan Theater of operations." 

Following their graduation from the Basic Pashtu Language Acquisition Program at the Defense Language Institute in California, Marines will be enrolled in the program at Goodfellow prior to their deployment to Afghanistan. 

In November 2008, training developers at the 316 TRS began coordinating a nationwide effort to develop a Pashtu course at Goodfellow Air Force Base. A joint approach made it possible to meet the unique challenges of building a training course in such a high-demand, low-availability language. Course development team professionals at the 316 TRS, assisted by a resident Pashtu subject matter expert, drew on the combined resources of the United States intelligence community to meet Marine Corps requirements. 

Officials from Ft. Gordon, Ga., Ft. Meade, Md., Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., Associate Directorate for Education and Training, and Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Agency all contributed to the course by providing materials, training, and additional subject matter experts to ensure a successful course. This extraordinary level of cooperation allowed the 316 TRS to complete development of the course in only eight months. 

The completed course offers students a rich variety of materials ranging from books and lectures to videos and computer-based lessons. Classes will begin in August, with expected enrollment of approximately 30 students by the end of 2009. The Air Force will provide the lone instructor to teach the course. Linguists who have already finished their training aren't required to take the course. The total course length is four weeks, and classes will run consecutively to meet the needs of the Marine Corps. After completion of the course, Marines will be better-equipped to execute their duties and to make significant contributions to the Global War on Terror.