For a 2671, or any linguist really....

[markmil2002]

I just spent the last 5 months getting myself back into the Marine Corps hoping to go back into Arty, some great force was on my side and gave me the MOS I always wanted, 2671, Middle Eastern Linguist. I must say that I am very excited, as my last MOS did not challenge my mind much and from what I have read, it sounds like I will enjoy this a lot! A few questions though. I am married, so I know my wife is allowed to come along, but do we rate TMO to move all of our stuff, or will we have to put our stuff in storage and travel with just what we can carry. The housing in that area is a bit pricey, I looked up my BAH, but there's no way I could afford that housing without getting a pay advance first, does anyone know if this is possible. Also, I have read two different numbers for the length of the school, 48 weeks and 64 weeks, which is it? Only one other question, is there anymore schooling after the DLI in Monterey, CA? Thank you for your time!

[osborned]

Hey Mark. I'm a 2671, and hit the fleet back in November. Yes, you can take your family to DLI. Take them with you when you check in! If you don't have them with you, they WILL jam your butt in the barracks just to keep a lid on you. If you show up family in-hand they'll stick you in the base hotel and you can claim travel reimbursement while you look for a place in town. The most economical route is Fort Ord housing, which recently renovated nearly all their houses. They're actually about ten minutes from the Presidio where you take your classes, but they're "base housing" which means they just take your BAH and call it done. No paying utilities or anything, just entertainment costs like tv/internet. You can save some more money by looking for an apartment in town, but don't bet on it. You probably won't find a place big enough if you already have kids. Yes, TMO will ship your stuff there if you get PCS orders to the school. Have them ship it as soon as possible and ask them to store it at their on-base storage facility. The sooner they get it in storage the sooner they'll help you get it delivered to whatever place you find. You don't want to try living with your family in an unfurnished house waiting on TMO to get your stuff from out of state. Been there.

If you go the Fort Ord route, don't worry about paying costs above your BAH. As a married guy you rate a house, they'll simply take what your BAH is and call it quits. The kind of house you get is limited by rank and number of children, however. A LCPL with one kid gets one side of a duplex house. A Staff NCO gets a two-story with a yard. Bastards.

The length of the school depends on what language within your MOS you get stuck into. I was in Modern Standard Arabic, which was 64 weeks. You might get Pashto or Farsi, which are different school lengths I believe, and sometime in the future are getting switched to a different MOS, 2674, I think.

And yes there is more schooling. Oh boy. After DLI you go to Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo Texas, for MOS-specific training, and it is all TS/SCI-related, so if you don't have your clearance yet you'll have to sit in limbo there for a while until it gets cleared. That school is about 6 months.

Look at it this way. I enlisted on a 5 year contract. DLI was a year and a half. Goodfellow was 6 months. I went to boot August 2007, arrived finally at the fleet November 2009.

[1stRad2671]

osborned covered everything really well. Seems like things really haven't changed out there.

It's a kick-ass job.

[markmil2002]

Sounds pretty good. I am very excited about it all. What kind of duty station choices are available?

[osborned]

Right now you're pretty much limited to Pendleton or Lejeune, 1st and 2nd RadBn respectively. On paper you can ask for KBay or Fort Gordon, or England if you're an NCO, but I think that one's out if you're married. Not sure though.

[markmil2002]

Right now you're pretty much limited to Pendleton or Lejeune, 1st and 2nd RadBn respectively. On paper you can ask for KBay or Fort Gordon, or England if you're an NCO, but I think that one's out if you're married. Not sure though.

Pendleton or LeJeune is OK, I have been to K-Bay, wouldn't mind going back though ;). I believe England is out unless I am a SNCO, they generally don't let married Marines get stationed out of country unless they are a SNCO. I am assuming that Fort Gordon is an Army base?

[osborned]

Yeah, you'll just work out of the Marine detachment there. Lots of Navy go there too.

[Tolerance]

Little bit of advice: Don't go to Ft Ord for housing. they take all of your BAH. people usually get a place in town and pocket the other BAH left over.

Anymore question, send me a PM. Currently here and the DET here is full of good people.

[AAV Crewchief]

Good luck and keep your nose to the grindstone. YOU WILL be challenged at DLI.

[WXSgt]

Cant yall come to 1st Intel as well? im here and im pretty sure we have some of yall here at least with the CI guys

[Tolerance]

Cant yall come to 1st Intel as well? im here and im pretty sure we have some of yall here at least with the CI guys

Yes and no. Some 02's get sent here after VA for the language then go to Intel Bn. But, if I'm correct, 2600s only go to rad bn or support. I know a couple people in 1st Intel actually. 2 Cpls just got there from here and 1 Cpl got there about 8 months ago.

[AAV Crewchief]

Oh yeah, you will have one hell of a marketable skill for the agency or elsewhere once you do your hitch.

[USMC-Fox]

I'd love to go to DLI, but I don't want to lat move and translate boring documents all day long! Think they'll offer DLI as a re-enlistment incentive for a second-term motivator? LOL! Keep dreaming, I know...
If I get MECEP this year, however, that could open wide the door of opportunity. What kind of officers get the chance to attend DLI?

[haebyungdae]

I'd love to go to DLI, but I don't want to lat move and translate boring documents all day long! Think they'll offer DLI as a re-enlistment incentive for a second-term motivator? LOL! Keep dreaming, I know...
If I get MECEP this year, however, that could open wide the door of opportunity. What kind of officers get the chance to attend DLI?Basically, you would have to either lat move into the 267X field or go CI to go to DLI as an enlisted Marine. Also, our job, even tedious translation, is not that boring.

As for officers, not really sure, but the ones that I saw at DLI were either taking a language class as part of their studies at the Naval Post Graduate school or were about to become a foreign liaison officer (I believe that is the term).