Summary: Many linguists are graduating from the Defense Department's (DOD) language training school without having obtained the limited language proficiency desired. This proficiency level--level 2--is defined as having enough language capability to meet routine social demands and limited job requirements. The linguists should be able to handle concrete topics in past, present, and future tense. Although the language training school has significantly increased the number of students graduating at level 2 or higher in recent years, about one-third of all students continue to graduate below this level of proficiency. Moreover, the military services routinely allow students who do not attain a level 2 proficiency to proceed to the next phase of training--technical school. GAO recommends that DOD review individual service practices for awarding foreign language proficiency pay to receive equal pay for equal achievement, determine whether the current Army and Marine Corps practice of paying for less than level 2 proficiency should continue, and establish procedures for coordinating commercial language training class schedules.
