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 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?