HQMC makes Rosetta Stone software free for personnel

HQMC makes Rosetta Stone software free for personnel
Lance Cpl. Kentavist P. Brackin

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa (December 12, 2008) -- Headquarters Marine Corps released Marine Administrative Message 661/08 Nov. 21 announcing the release of the Rosetta Stone Language Learning Software to personnel throughout the Corps.

The program teaches familiarizations in 31 different languages, although right now only 21 are available to personnel. Fifteen out of the 21 are considered operationally relevant by the Marine Corps including Latin American-oriented Spanish, Russian and Korean.

The software is a part of the Marine Corps' Center for Operational Culture Learning's $1.2 million, one-year contract with Rosetta Stone. The center purchased the software in an effort to promote language education and increase the capability of operational forces in foreign countries.

The software is free for active duty, active duty reserve, selective Marine Corps reserve, mobilized Individual Ready Reserve Marines and Marine Corps civilian employees. Non-mobilized IRR Marines and Marine Corps dependents are not authorized to access the software at this time.

"It's always been available to anyone who wants to buy it online but it's expensive," said Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Nunez, the command language program manager for 3rd Intelligence Battalion, III Marine Headquarters Group. "Since the Marine Corps has made it available for free it's definitely something Marines should look into."

Personnel can enroll in a course by logging onto the website at www.marinenet.usmc.mil and clicking on the browse catalog located under the actions menu.

Non-Navy Marine Corps Intranet computers should be the primary means of accessing the software. NMCI computers can access the software but cannot use the speech component yet because of the lack of updates. Approval for the component through the NMCI computer seat is being sought.

For more information about the Rosetta Stone Software contact the MarineNet help desk at 1-888-435-8762, or commercial 301-995-6049 from 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time Monday - Friday.

Ellie