USD FOR P&R SAYS DLIFLC SHOULD BE
CENTER OF EXCELLENCE
By Natela Cutter, Strategic Communications
DLIFLC Provost, Dr. Donald Fischer, looks on as Dari language student demonstrates to Dr. Clifford Stanley, USD P&R, the use of a tablet PCs with
a stylus pen which allows students to write non-Latin scripts on the touch sensitive screen.
PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY,
Calif. - The Under Secretary
of Defense for Personnel and
Readiness, Dr. Clifford Stanley,
said he believed the Defense
Language Institute Foreign
Language Center should become
a Center of Excellence, during his
first visit to the Institute June 23
and 24.
Responsible for overseeing the
overall state of military readiness,
Stanley said that DLIFLC should
be the first place to be “tapped” for
Department of Defense language
and culture training.
“If I could click my heals and
wish I were in Kansas, I would
really like to see DLI become
the Center of Excellence. This
should be the place you come to
…and where the excellence is,”
said Stanley, having toured several
teaching facilities.
Stanley had the opportunity
to visit a Dari basic course
class, speak with students and
ask questions about the course.
Servicemembers at the Multi
Language School demonstrated
some of the latest language
learning programs and technology
such as tablet PCs, iPods and
interactive whiteboards.
“I’m excited about what you
are doing, taking advantage of
emerging technologies," said
Stanley, stressing that language
training is not just important for
the professional linguist, but for
all Americans, beginning at a very
early age.
“I have some very strong
feelings about language and where
we are as a nation, not just in
the Department of Defense. I
strongly believe that we should
have a nation that we can draw
from of people who are languagecapable,” said Stanley, who is
the senior policy advisor to the
Secretary of Defense on the
1.3 million Guard and Reserve
personnel in the United States.
Stanley mentioned that most
allies are ahead of the U.S. in
language training. “And why do
they have to learn English?” he
questioned rhetorically. “Language
is important,” he stressed,
“Particularly if we are talking
about working with our allies and
other nations.”
To view an interview with Dr.
Stanley, please visit: http://vimeo.
com/channels/dliflc or http://www.
youtube.com/user/TheDLIFLC.
5