Special Operations Forces: Enhanced Training, Analysis, and Monitoring Could Improve Foreign Language Proficiency
Fast Facts
U.S. special operations forces personnel often need to know foreign languages to do their jobs overseas.
The military services identify foreign languages for missions and how many personnel should know them. But planning officials couldn't explain how they align language needs with missions, and some of the identified needs may not be accurate or relevant.
Also, many special operations forces members aren't meeting language proficiency goals—maybe because there aren't consistent consequences for them if they don't.
We recommended that DOD improve its procedures, training, and accountability for special operations forces personnel on this issue.
A special operations Marine Raider participates in a role-playing activity for a language course in 2023
Highlights
What GAO Found
Every 2 years the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) develops a 5-year forecast of foreign language capability training needs. However, a key element of this process on determining mission requirements is not consistently followed, leading to uncertainty on the validity of the resulting analysis. By providing training on the methodology personnel should use to determine foreign language capability requirements, SOCOM would have greater assurance that its process is consistent and effective. In addition, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command and the Marine Forces Special Operations Command have not analyzed the relevancy of assigned foreign languages during deployments to inform future training needs. By periodically monitoring and assessing relevance in the countries to which they deploy, the Commands would be able to adjust foreign language training plans accordingly.
The Army and Marine Corps Special Operations Commands have issued foreign language proficiency and training standards and provided resources and incentives to improve foreign language skills. However, GAO found that from fiscal years 2018 through 2022, most Army and Marine Corps Special Operations Forces (SOF) units did not meet foreign language proficiency goals. According to select Army and Marine Corps personnel, not meeting minimum proficiency levels has had limited consequences on service members. This is due in part to a lack of consistent procedures that specify consequences when SOF personnel do not achieve minimum foreign language proficiency standards.
Further, less than half of SOF personnel completed any foreign language training, and the average number of annual sustainment training hours completed was much less than required due primarily to competing training demands and priorities.
Average Number of Annual Foreign Language Training Hours Completed by Army and Marine Corps SOF Service Members, Fiscal Years 2018–2022
The Army and Marine Corps Special Operations Commands have not held unit commanders accountable for monitoring whether SOF personnel complete annual foreign language training. By taking additional steps to ensure that unit commanders monitor and report whether SOF personnel are completing required annual foreign language training, the Commands would have greater assurance that SOF personnel and units are able to communicate with allies and partners.
Why GAO Did This Study
SOF play an integral part of activities carried out below the level of armed conflict. These activities often demand that SOF personnel be able to communicate in foreign languages when working with allies and partners.
House Report 117-118, accompanying a bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 includes a provision that GAO review SOF foreign language capabilities and training. GAO's report evaluates the extent to which (1) SOCOM determines SOF foreign language capability requirements and associated training needs; and (2) relevant SOF Service Components have established standards and monitor training efforts to sustain and enhance foreign language skills.
GAO analyzed documents and interviewed officials regarding SOCOM's foreign language requirements' process; reviewed applicable training programs; and analyzed SOF foreign language proficiency and training data for fiscal years 2018 through 2022.
Recommendations
GAO is making four recommendations to DOD to train personnel on how to determine SOF foreign language capability requirements; monitor the relevancy of assigned languages at deployment locations; establish and enforce consistent procedures that specify consequences when foreign language proficiency standards are not met; and hold unit commanders accountable for monitoring and reporting on completion of required foreign language training. DOD agreed with GAO's recommendations.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in coordination with SOCOM, develops and administers training for TSOC planners on the methodology they should use to determine their foreign language capability requirements. (Recommendation 1) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. According to an action plan provided to us in February 2024, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Joint Staff) will work with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (ASD SO/LIC) and the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to develop and incorporate a consistent methodology for determining foreign language requirements into Joint Staff guidance. They will also develop and implement training for planners at the theater special operations commands (TSOCs) and the other combatant command staffs on how to use the methodology for determining foreign language requirements. Officials expect that the development of the methodology and the associated training to be fully implemented by July 2026. By taking these actions, SOCOM, the TSOCs, and the combatant commands will have greater assurance that they have identified foreign language capability requirements using a consistent methodological approach as GAO recommended in October 2023.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Commanders of the relevant SOF Service Component Commands with a foreign language training requirement, in coordination with SOCOM, 1) periodically monitor the extent to which foreign languages assigned to SOF service members are relevant in the countries to which SOF deploy and 2) use this information to assess foreign language training plans to ensure they meet current and future mission needs. (Recommendation 2) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. According to an action plan provided to us in February 2024, the SOF Service Component Commands will establish a program to review and report to the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) on the extent to which SOF personnels' assigned foreign languages are relevant to deployed locations. Additionally, the SOF Service Component Commands, in coordination with SOCOM, will assess foreign language training plans against relevancy findings to identify gaps. The action plan also states that the SOF Service Component Commands will identify and recommend changes to policies or personnel management process to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (ASD SO/LIC) and SOCOM to improve the alignment of foreign language training programs with regions or countries where SOF personnel are deployed. Officials expect these actions to be fully implemented by September 2026. By periodically monitoring and assessing the extent to which SOF personnels' assigned foreign languages are relevant to the countries to which they deploy, the SOF Service Component Commands with a foreign language training requirement would have more complete information that can inform foreign language training plans to meet future mission needs, as GAO recommended in October 2023.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Commanders of the relevant SOF Service Component Commands with a foreign language training requirement establish and enforce consistent procedures that specify the consequences for SOF personnel that do not meet minimum foreign language proficiency standards. (Recommendation 3) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. According to an action plan provided to us in February 2024, U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and the SOF Service Component Commands will assess the SOF Service Component Command's compliance with foreign language requirements contained in SOCOM Directive 350-17. The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (ASD SO/LIC) and SOCOM will review and assess the SOF Service Component Commands' procedures by which they hold language-enabled SOF personnel and linguists accountable for maintaining minimum proficiency standards and determine the extent to which these procedures are in compliance with requirements established in SOCOM Directive 350-17. SOCOM also plans to update SOCOM Directive 350-17 to include proficiency levels and test dates in an update of reporting requirements. Officials expect to implement this recommendation by December 2024. By taking additional steps to establish and enforce procedures that specify the consequences to SOF personnel when minimum foreign language proficiency standards are not being met, SOF formations and their respective units would be more likely to achieve their 80 percent foreign language proficiency goal, as GAO recommended in October 2023.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Commanders of the relevant SOF Service Component Commands with a foreign language training requirement hold unit commanders accountable for monitoring and reporting quality information about the extent to which SOF personnel are completing required annual sustainment and enhancement training hours, including instances where a service member completes no hours of sustainment and enhancement training. (Recommendation 4) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. According to an action plan provided to us in February 2024, the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) will update foreign language training reporting requirements in SOCOM Directive 350-17 to include the number of training hours. SOF Service Component Commands will review the extent to which unit commanders are monitoring and reporting information about SOF personnel completing required annual sustainment and enhancement training hours. Officials expect to implement this recommendation by December 2024. By ensuring that unit commanders monitor and report the extent to which SOF personnel are completing required foreign language sustainment and enhancement training hours to command officials, the Service Component Commands could clearly communicate to unit commanders and SOF personnel that completing sustainment and enhancement training is a priority. Command leadership would also have greater assurance that SOF personnel are achieving foreign language proficiency goals, as GAO recommended in October 2023.
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