The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (SWCS) has recently added Ukrainian to its roster of languages offered through the Language, Regional Education, and Culture Program (LREC). This inclusion is part of the final phase of the Army’s Special Forces training pipeline, with the current course set to conclude on April 29. Ukrainian joins 14 other languages in the program, marking a significant addition tailored to meet the demands of contemporary military operations and partnerships.
Brig. Gen. Guillaume Beaurpere, the commanding general of SWCS, highlighted the necessity of introducing Ukrainian language training for Special Forces candidates. This initiative reflects the evolving requirements of the battlefield and the importance of fostering effective communication and collaboration with Ukrainian partners. Beaurpere shared insights from a conversation with a student undergoing the course, noting the challenges and potential benefits of acquiring this language skill for future deployments in the European Theater of Operations.
The development and launch of the Ukrainian language course were rapid, taking about six months from concept to initiation. This quick turnaround illustrates the program’s flexibility and responsiveness to emerging operational needs. Graduates of the course are expected to achieve a proficiency level of at least 1+ on the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale, indicating an elementary plus level of fluency.
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