Mission Related English for

Operational Mentor and Liaison Teams

Mr. Roger L. Embree

Partner Language Training Center Europe (PLTCE)

George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies

BILC Conference, Rome, 2009

Tailoring Training to Improve Specific Language Skills

What is OMLT?

Identifying the need for additional language training

Course design

Program of instruction

Potential for cooperation with nations providing OMLTs

Operational Mentor and Liaison Teams

(OMLT) NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission to develop the Afghan National Army (ANA)

Teams embed within ANA battalion-sized units (Kandaks) for minimum of six months

Teams provide training and mentoring to these ANA units during deployment

Teams also provide a liaison capability ensuring these ANA units receive ISAF enabling support

OMLT Training

Phase I – National training and preparation

Phase II – Centralized NATO-sponsored training

Conducted at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC), Hohenfels Training Area (HTA), Germany

Phase III – In-theatre training

Need for additional language training

NATO identified the need for nations to improve teams’ English language skills prior to phase II training

Needs analysis identified a shortfall in military specific terminology and usage

Time sensitive radio communications

Unit operational planning

Improving these specific language skills enhances teams’ ability to mentor ANA soldiers and liaise with ISAF units

Course Design Focus on three core areas

Pronunciation improvement and accent reduction

Military specific terminology familiarization and review

Introduction to and practice of specific radio call formats:

“Nine Liners”

Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) request

Improvised Explosive Device (IED) report

Artillery Call for Fire (CFF) request

Aviation fire support request

Course Design Resources – Emphasis on authentic texts

U.S. military field & training manuals

Afghan National Army training manuals

Commercial training texts & publications

Hand-held radio transceivers

Military Subject Matter Expert (SME)

Maps

Program of Instruction Course Structure – “Crawl, Walk, Run”

“Crawl” – Establish a foundation for practice

Basic radio terminology

Map reading & terrain features

Essential medical terminology

Program of Instruction Course Structure – “Crawl, Walk, Run”

“Walk” – Practice of simpler formats

MEDEVAC request

IED report

English Reinforcement

Reading texts & utilizing maps

Creating & presenting scenarios

Program of Instruction Course Structure – “Crawl, Walk, Run”

“Run” – Practice of detailed formats & planning

Artillery Call for Fire (CFF) request

Aviation fire support request

Operation Planning Order (OPORD)

English Reinforcement – “Walk” plus:

Military Subject Matter Expert (SME)

Interactive Multimedia Instruction (IMI)

Culmination scenario exercise

Potential for Cooperation Challenge of training military specific language skills

Military expertise versus English language instruction

Military expertise and English language instruction

Exploratory prototype for instructors from OMLT nations

Observation of MRE for OMLT course iteration

Exposure to terminology, materials & potential resources

Opportunity for OMLT nations to develop own course

Commanders in Afghanistan said they’re already eight short of the June goal of 64 operational mentoring and liaison teams for the country, and they expect to fall 20 short of their goal of 90 teams at the end of 2009.

Nominee for NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, U.S. Admiral James Stavridis, said his top priority if confirmed will be to quickly address the shortfall in OMLTs in Afghanistan.

“This is the kind of thing [our allies] can perform very well in. These small teams have tremendous effect… In the end, security is local. You have to train up these Afghans.”

- Excerpt from Stars and Stripes, June 3, 2009

Thank you for your time and attention.

Questions?