Foreign Language Education in the Military

As teachers of English in the military, we totally believe that today’s military should have foreign language skills and cultural expertise besides military competencies, needed to face the challenges of our present security. Foreign languages and cultural awareness can be considered ‘critical capabilities’. But proficiency in a foreign language is difficult to be acquired when you are not allotted sufficient class hours or the linguistic level of your students is pretty low. The English language proficiency training is a complex process involving time as well as human and financial resources. Each army needs literate military in foreign languages that can speak and write, comprehend oral speech or written text, in the literal and figurative forms of the language. Not being able to speak the NATO prime language of communication can be considered a real barrier for any military participant in international missions. The present study is a theoretical approach presenting some priorities in language learning education at home and abroad