5.2 How did Kenneth get to where he is today?

Many of us become passionate about Spanish from our own background and lived experiences with the language. Some of us hear family speaking it at home, some of us learn Spanish in school, others live abroad and learn Spanish through our experiences in another country. Let’s learn more about how Kenneth got his start in Spanish and eventually became a Spanish linguist and language instructor with the military.

Transcript: “How I got where I am today–I first learned Spanish in Mexico as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I spent two years in Mexico as a missionary, and then subsequently went into the Air Force and I became a military linguist. I wanted to utilize my Spanish in my job, which was a great benefit, and now I’m back in the Air Force as a civilian after retiring from active duty, and I teach Spanish courses to active duty military members.”

As Kenneth notes, his path to become a military linguist was not direct; he entered the Air Force in the maintenance field and worked with munition systems. In time, he was able to change jobs and become a linguist, likely because he already knew a second language. Kenneth’s experience is unique in that regard because most linguists begin their military careers attending language training in Monterey, California at the Defense Language Institute/Foreign Language Center, where they teach several languages, and the training can last up to 18 months. If you like to work with languages, it is a great way to earn a living and serve your country at the same time. There are language jobs for enlisted members as well as officers, but you’ll need to have a bachelor’s degree to become an officer, which involves higher pay.