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(U//FOUO) The Language Center Chiefs: Developing Language
Analysts for the Future
FROM:
Chief, South Asian Language Center (S209D1)
Run Date: 01/12/2005
(U//FOUO) In response to world events -- including 9/11-- and to operational demands, NSA has
greatly increased hiring of Language Analysts in recent years, which has reinvigorated the old
Language Intern Program, now the Language Development Program. A most important step was
the appointment of six permanent, full-time Language Center Chiefs in late March 2003.
(U//FOUO) The Language Center Chiefs, who are part of SID/Analysis and Production's
Deployment Services (S209D), play an important role in the careers of all members of the
Language Development Program, both new hires and experienced Language Analysts who have
taken on the challenge of cross-training into a new language. All of the Language Center Chiefs
are Language Analysts by trade, and they bring with them a wealth of experience at
headquarters, downtown, and overseas.
(U//FOUO) The duties of the Language Center Chiefs include:
Managing the development and deployment of new hires and cross-trainees, ensuring a
logical sequence of tours, suited to individual skills and interests
Working closely with a large number of Language Skill Community elements, such as the
Senior Language Authority, the Language Analysis Skill Community Director, the
Development Program Manager, Language Advisors, Language Sponsors, Language
Training Representatives, Language Hiring Managers, the NCS language departments,
and the Language Enhancement Program
Cooperating, in addition, with the Deployment Services Language Account Manager,
Product Line Account Managers, and Language Recruitment staff
Providing a bridge between the Language Skill Community and the Product Lines, striving
to balance development needs and mission priorities
(U//FOUO) The Language Development Program is the first part of a career-long Professional
Health Program for language analysts. The Center Chiefs see their jobs as a payback to the skill
community, and they work continually to develop new opportunities for the program members.
In turn, the program members often craft their own tours and come up with creative approaches
to this stage of their careers. Among our newest tours are external tours to RSOCs*, Second
Parties, field sites, and downtown agencies.
(U//FOUO) What is a typical day like for a Language Center Chief? Well, a typical day probably
doesn't exist, but it would include one-on-one meetings with center members, coordinating
rotations with offices and language sponsors, talking with the program manager, attending an
awards ceremony, reviewing resumes and P3s, and responding to questions of all sorts (from
soup to nuts!) via email or phone. We have some additional duties, including liaison with SCS ,
heading the CLA 's Outreach in Language Education (OLE) program, and coordinating the
Summer Language Program for college students. We'll also be involved in "2005: The Year of
Languages," which is being celebrated throughout the U.S., under the auspices of the American
Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. This is an opportunity to focus attention on the
benefits of studying other languages and cultures.
(U//FOUO) For the Language Center Chiefs, the opportunity to make a difference in the daily life
and in the long-term careers of our many highly talented Language Analysts, soon to be the
Agency's technical leaders, is what guides us. What is our one goal? It is laying a strong
foundation for building a highly skilled, multi-talented language analysis workforce of
the future.
(U//FOUO) For further information about the Language Center Chiefs and Development Tours,
go to:
For
information about the Language Analysis Skill Community and many other language-related
issues, try "go language" on the NSA web.
*(U) Notes:
RSOC = Regional Security Operations Center
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108