Apply Now: US Army Recruitment for People who can Speak African Languages to be Translators

Military Job Applications  Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) is a recruiting program that allows legal non-citizens with in-demand skills to join the U.S Army in exchange for expedited U.S. citizenship. Individuals who join the Army through this program are able to move from non-immigrant visa or asylee/refugee/Temporary Protected Status (TPS) directly to citizenship. In most cases participants in the program will become naturalized U.S. citizens by the time they graduate from ten weeks of Basic Combat Training or accept a commission as Army Officers.

Currently, the Army is searching for licensed health care professionals and individuals who can speak more than one language. Read the general requirements below to see if you qualify to join the Army through this program.

The interpreter/translator in the Army is primarily responsible for interpreting and preparing translations between English and a foreign language.

Interpreters and translators are vital in today’s military and society in general. These Army language specialists do more than just translate words — they relay concepts and ideas between languages. So… if you’re an excellent communicator and you enjoy foreign languages and cultures, you should consider such a career in the Army.

How to Apply the US Army Jobs:

Follow the link as details of the Army recruitment and selection process can be found on how people from other countries can apply for the Army with legal US residency, visit here.

Applicants must be in one of the following categories at the time of their enlistment:

Non-immigrant categories E, F, H, I, J, K, L, M, O, P, Q, R, S, T, TC, TD, TN, U or V

Asylee, refugee, Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Applicants must legally reside in the United States for a minimum of two years prior to joining the Army (excluding DACA) without a single absence from the country lasting longer than 90 days

Applicants must have a high school diploma and a qualifying score on the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AQFT)

Must be 17-34 years old and be under 35 at the time of shipping to BCT

Job Duties

• Prepare nontechnical Army translations into the target language and perform sight translations from a target language into English
• Assist military contracting officers with local purchases
• Provide interpretation support at military traffic control points and local media events

Requirements

There is no single form of certification required for interpreters and translators in the United States Army, but there are a variety of different tests that workers can voluntarily take to demonstrate proficiency. For Military men, the American Translators Association provides accreditation in more than 24 language combinations for its members; other options include a certification program offered by The Translators and Interpreters Guild. Many interpreters are not certified. Military translators undergo rigorous training that prepares them for translator careers both in service and in the civilian world.

Proficient in one or more of the following target languages:

Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Fula, Mande, Kru, Mel, and the divergent language Gola, Swahili, ‎Kikuyu, Luhya, Luo, Twi, Ga, Ewe, Krio, Shona, Ndebele.

Pushtu/Pashto/Pachto
Pushtu-Afghan
Persian-Afghan (Dari)
Persian-Iranian (Farsi)
Arabic-Modern Standard
Arabic-Gulf-Iraqi
Arabic-Egyptian
Arabic-Levantine
Arabic-Libyan
Arabic-Moroccan
Arabic-Tunisian

CRITICAL LANGUAGES

Applicants must have a qualifying score on a proficiency test in his or her native language. CURRENT LANGUAGES RECRUITED Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Azerbaijani, Baluchi, Bengali, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cebuano, Cambodian-Khmer, Chinese, Czech, French (with citizenship from an African Country), Georgian, Haitian Creole, Hausa, Hindi, Hungarian, Ibo/Igbo, Indonesian, Japanese, Kashmiri, Korean, Kurdish, Lao, Malay, Malayalam, Moro (Tausug/Maranao/Maguindanao), Nepalese, Pashto, Persian Dari, Persian Farsi, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Sindhi, Singhalese, Somali, Swahili, Tagalog, Tajik, Tamil, Thai, Turkish, Turkmen, Ukrainian, Urdu (with citizenship from Pakistan or Afghanistan), Uzbek, Yoruba

Training
Some Military interpreters/translators will require English language training prior to their nine weeks of Basic Combat Training. After completing Basic Combat Training, you’ll attend Advanced Individual Training to learn the skills that are required to perform Interpreter support in the following areas:

Checkpoint Operations
Medical Support
Locally Employed Personnel Screening
Training Host-Nation Forces
VIP Escort
Contract Negotiations
Cultural Awareness
Helpful Skills
Ability to listen, read and speak in English
Fluency in a foreign language(s)
Interest in other cultures

Working Conditions
Working environments for interpreters and translators vary. Civilian interpreters work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, courtrooms, and conference centers. Military translators and interpreters working conditions are similar to civilian interpreters, however many military translators also serve in roles such as community relations, inelegance gathering, and other related military missions.

Salary
Earnings depend on language, subject matter, skill, experience, education, certification, and type of employer, and salaries of interpreters and translators can vary widely. Interpreters and translators with language skills for which there is a greater demand, or for which there are relatively few people with the skills, often have higher earnings. Interpreters and translators with specialized expertise, such as those working in software localization, also generally command higher rates.

Individuals classified as language specialists for the federal government earned an average of $71,625 annually in 2005. In addition the Military will pay an annual special pay of up to $12,000 a year for servicemembers who are proficient in foreign languages. This is paid in addition to the military base pay rate.

Employment of interpreters and translators is projected to increase faster than the average for all occupations over the 2004-14 period, reflecting strong growth in the industries employing interpreters and translators. Higher demand for interpreters and translators in recent years has resulted directly from the broadening of international ties and the increase in the number of foreign language speakers in the United States. In addition, current events and changing political environments, often difficult to foresee, will increase the need for persons who can work with other languages. For example, homeland security needs are expected to drive increasing demand for interpreters and translators of Middle Eastern and North African languages, primarily in federal government agencies such as the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security.

Next Step
The U.S. Army is is currently offering the following cash bonuses:

Translator Aide (Middle-Eastern languages) bonus of $10,000 for enlisting in the U.S. Army Individual Ready Reserve.
An Army Civilian Skills bonus of $5,000 for the Army (active duty) or $15,000 for the Army Reserve for applicants with no previous military service experience.
An additional $20,000 Quick Ship bonus for those who are willing to report to basic training within 30 days.
These bonuses may be combined with the Army’s other cash enlistment bonuses for a maximum combination of $40,000 a four-year enlistment.

Note: In addition to regular pay and benefits, Army translators also qualify for up to $1,000 a month in Foreign Language Proficiency Pay

JOINING THE US ARMY

To join as a soldier you must:
You must be at least 18 years old to join the US Army as a soldier.
You can start your application when you’re 17 years and 7 months.
Be in Phase 1 training before your 35th birthday.
If you’re under 18, you’ll also need parental consent to join.

To enlist in the United States army, you must be a legal resident. The Army offers over 150 different careers in a wide variety of categories. The key to your career path is your ASVAB score, which helps to identify the Army jobs that fit you the best.

Learn About the US Military
Get a brief overview of the five service branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and know which one of them you may want to enlist:

U.S. Air Force (USAF)
U.S. Army (USA)
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)
U.S. Marine Corps (USMC)
U.S. Navy (USN)

The Air Force is part of the Department of Defense (DOD). It’s responsible for aerial military operations, defending U.S. airspace and air bases, and building landing strips. The Air Force Space Command is under this branch. Service members are known as airmen. The reserve components are Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve.

The Army is part of the DOD and is the largest of the five military branches. It handles major ground combat missions, especially operations that are ongoing. The Army Special Forces unit is known as the Green Berets for its headgear. Service members are known as soldiers. The reserve components are Army Reserve and Army National Guard.

The Coast Guard is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It’s responsible for maritime law enforcement, including drug smuggling. It manages maritime search and rescue and marine environmental protection. It also secures ports, waterways, and the coasts. Service members are known as Coast Guardsmen, nicknamed Coasties. The reserve component is Coast Guard Reserve.

The Marine Corps is part of the DOD. It provides land combat, sea-based, and air-ground operations support for the other branches during a mission. This branch also guards U.S. embassies around the world and the classified documents in those buildings. Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) members are known as Raiders. All service members are referred to as Marines. The reserve component is Marine Corps Reserve.

The Navy is part of the DOD. It protects waterways (sea and ocean) outside of the Coast Guard’s jurisdiction. Navy warships provide the runways for aircraft to land and take off when at sea. Navy SEALs (sea, air, and land) are the special operations force for this branch. All service members are known as sailors. The reserve component is Navy Reserve.

When you can join the US army:

The basic entry age requirements depend on whether or not you are entering the regular army, or Territorial Army, as an officer or soldier. If regular army, officers can join aged 18 to 26 years and soldiers can join between 16 and 32 years and 11 months.

Salaries of US ARMY:

Military Rank                                                      Average Salary

E-1 No Insignia Private PVT Enlisted Soldier $1,600 per month

E-2 Private Second Class PV2 Enlisted Soldier $1,793 per month

E-3 Private First Class PFC Enlisted Soldier $22,630 – $25,510 per year

E-4 Specialist SPC Enlisted Soldier $25,067 – $30,427 per year

E-4 Corporal CPL Noncommissioned Officer $25,067 – $30,427 per year

E-5 Sergeant SGT Noncommissioned Officer $27,338 – $38,794 per year
E-6 Staff Sergeant SSG Noncommissioned Officer $29,840 – $46,220 per year
E-7 Sergeant First Class SFC Noncommissioned Officer $34,502 – $62,010 per year
E-8 Master Sergeant MSG Noncommissioned Officer $49,633 – $70,787 per year
E-8 First Sergeant 1SG Noncommissioned Officer $49,633 – $70,787 per year
E-9 Sergeant Major SGM Noncommissioned Officer $60,631 – $94,136 per year
E-9 Command Sergeant Major CSM Noncommissioned Officer $60,631 – $94,136 per year
E-9 Sergeant Major of the Army SMA Noncommissioned Officer (Special) $60,631 – $94,136 per year
W-1 Warrant Officer 1 WO1 Warrant Officer $35,597 – $61,510 per year
W-2 Chief Warrant Officer 2 CW2 Warrant Officer $40,554 – $67,687 per year
W-3 Chief Warrant Officer 3 CW3 Warrant Officer $45,828 – $80,392 per year
W-4 Chief Warrant Officer 4 CW4 Warrant Officer $50,184 – $93,478 per year
W-5 Chief Warrant Officer 5 CW5 Warrant Officer $89,233 – $116,770 per year
O-1 Second Lieutenant 2LT Commissioned Officer $36,418 – $45,824 per year
O-2 First Lieutenant 1LT Commissioned Officer $41,958 – $58,068 per year
O-3 Captain CPT Commissioned Officer $48,560 – $79,002 per year
O-4 Major MAJ Field Officer $55,231 – $92,218 per year
O-5 Lieutenant Colonel LTC Field Officer $64,012 – $108,752 per year
O-6 Colonel COL Field Officer $76,784 – $135,936 per year
O-7 Brigadier General BG General Officer $101,257 – $151,283 per year
O-8 Major General MG General Officer $121,860 – $175,676 per year
O-9 Lieutenant General LTG General Officer $172,224 – $186,998 per year
O-10 General GEN General Officer $15,583 per month
O-10 General of the Army GA General Officer $15,583 per month.