DLI "Wipes out That Stain"


By Ken Allison

hen I finished US Air Force (USAF) basic (training) in 1954, I was sent to Kelly Air Force Base for language preparation training, prior to being assigned to Army Language School (ALS) at Monterey for Russian. This, so called, pre-language training was three weeks of intensive English (heavy on grammar) testing. I had quit high school in the 11th grade and had not a clue what was going on, as my pre USAF GED studies did not prepare me for this.

I was washed out after one week. Embarrassed and disappointed, I was trained as a traffic analyst and after six months of school, fulfilled a three-year tour in Alaska with my family. While there, I took five English courses from the University of Alaska, still smarting from my failure at my own language in pre-lang training.

I got out of the Air Force and tried college but unsuccessfully. Then, with a guaranteed assignment to Russian language school at Monterey (R-9-4), I reentered the USAF as an E-5.

We all have our reasons and imperatives for making it through the demanding course of study at DLI - that was mine. I had to wipe out that stain of failure. Afterward, I served 22 more years in the AF Security Service as a linguist (Russian and Vietnamese) and by virtue of night school and Intermediate and Advance Russian at Syracuse University, I graduated as a valedictorian with a Bachelor's in Russian and International Relations in 1967. I ended my Air Force career with two years as a Language Resource Manager conducting many (temporary duty) TDYs to DLI in support of early computer training and the Military Assistant Instructor Program.