Military linguists integral part of SFAB teams

Photo By Chuck Cannon | IFP1C — A military linguist attached to the 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade (left) provides interpreter assistance during a key leader engagement at the Joint Readiness Training Center Jan. 22, part of the 2nd SFAB’s rotation. Staff Sgt. Nawid Abraham (standing), a military linguist with Fort Polk’s 52nd Translator/Interpreter Company, 3rd Battalion, 353rd Infantry Regiment, serves as an observer/controller/trainer to provide guidance during the exercise.  

FORT POLK, LA, UNITED STATES

01.25.2019

Story by Chuck Cannon 

Fort Johnson Public Affairs Office

FORT POLK, La. — As the 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade wraps up Rotation 19-03 at the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk, one group of local Soldiers will pack their bags and deploy with the SFAB.
Ten MOS 09L — military linguists — who are native Dari Pashtu speakers from Afghanistan have been attached to 2nd SFAB advisor teams as interpreters. The Soldiers are assigned to Fort Polk’s 52nd Translator/Interpreter Company, 3rd Battalion, 353rd Infantry Regiment.
Lt. Col. Francisco Javier Lopez, commander, 3rd Bn, 353rd Inf Reg, said the 1st SFAB, which recently returned from Afghanistan, had four native speaking linguists attached to it.
“The accomplishments and performance (of the four 1st SFAB linguists) was highlighted from every senior leader, and they requested more for the 2nd SFAB,” Lopez said. “These 10 volunteered to serve with the SFAB and are excited to do this mission. They believe in what they are doing.”
Lopez said the linguists who will travel with the 2nd SFAB are among the best Soldiers the Army has to offer.
“We have the Army’s first Airborne Ranger 09L,” Lopez said. “We also have a Soldier who was a former Afghan National Army captain. These are just two examples, but are indicative of the quality of Soldiers we have in the 51st TICO.”
Lopez said military linguists, often referred to as interpreters, fulfill a vital role on SFAB advisor teams.
“The relationship between interpreters and advisors is critical,” he said. “We teach and train that the interpreter is an asset and function of the advisor team. They work together.”
Advisors must operate within a certain culture, Lopez said, and the military linguist, MOS 09L, is an expert in that culture. The Soldier is a master translator as well. “Those three key components — interpreter, culture expert and translator — make the advisor and advisor team better, stronger and faster to achieve their mission,” Lopez said.
As an expert in culture, Lopez said interpreters help their advisor understand the nuances of the culture they are in.
“The wrong phrase or wrong approach could ruin a relationship,” he said. “Advising must be done in the culture, meaning you have to be immersed. When dealing with foreign cultures, it can be complex. The 09L helps to bridge that understanding with the advisor and local culture.”
The goal of 09Ls is to be a part of the advising team, Lopez said.
“My charge is to ensure the 09L is ready as a Soldier to endure the challenges of a combat zone,” he said. “They must be physically ready, tactically ready with their weapon, and proficient in their MOS to provide expertise to the team. None of that has changed over the years. I think it’s more of a challenge now to make sure they can embed with any team and be a part of it.”
Lopez said his battalion integrates with Operations Group and JRTC’s plan to meet Army readiness goals by training Soldiers and units to be ready to deploy anywhere at any time on a moment’s notice.
“We’re fully supportive of that plan to train the SFAB here at the JRTC,” he said. “Our expert trainers in advisor operations are fully distributed across all the task forces. We have also established connections with cultural role players from the corps level down to the lowest battalion level to ensure the environment fits the design, so the training fits the SFAB’s needs.”
Lopez said it’s challenging to provide the right training environment the SFAB needs.
“At the Joint Readiness Training center we provide that crucible moment for them, so we can get them ready to go into theater,” he said.
Although the SFAB concept is relatively new, Lopez said advisor missions have been an ongoing endeavor for the Army since the Revolutionary War.
“In some form or fashion, the Army has been using advisors to reach certain populations throughout its history,” he said. “We continue that today. Before the refocus using SFABs, we provided the training necessary to fill certain advisor requirements across the globe. Over the years we’ve amassed a lot of knowledge. Our goal through the JRTC is to give that knowledge back and to be a part of the effort to help the SFABs deploying to theater.”
As for the 2nd SFAB as it finishes its JRTC rotation, Lopez said he’s confident the brigade will have a successful deployment.
“My trainers and instructors have briefed me and said that if the Soldiers of the SFAB make a mistake, they catch it quickly and correct it,” he said. “It’s good to see how quickly they are maturing in advise and assist operations. They are coming together to create a talented organization. If this is the Army’s approach to security force assistance, then the future is bright. I’m happy the battalion can be integrated into this training.”

• Date Taken: 01.25.2019
• Date Posted: 01.25.2019 09:45
• Story ID: 308212
• Location: FORT POLK, LA, US