Abstract
Foreign language competences for the military personnel of Lithuania and NATO are essential in sustaining National Security of the alliance especially by effectively performing their military duties that include not only specific military art but also administrative and managemental. The Military Academy of Lithuania is a unique higher educational institution that prepares specialists in administration, management, and other fields. Therefore, being a cadet of the Academy, he/she acquires all the necessary competences to obtain proficiency in these fields. However, the cadets of the Academy considerably need foreign language competences so that they could actively, successfully, and professionally conduct their duties not only locally but also participating internationally in various military organizations and missions. Thus, in many cases military’s success in multinational operations very often depends on soldiers’ ability to communicate and express themselves in English or any other foreign language. In this “global village” it is practically inconceivable to make career without the knowledge of the English or any other foreign language. Thus, the aim of the research is to analyze the role of foreign language competencies acquired at the Lithuanian Military Academy where cadets obtain qualifications and foreign language competences needed for successful career making, National and International security. Therefore, the objective of the research is how theoretically and practically resolve the issue of developing new linguistic competences in foreign languages necessary for MAL cadets through analyses of the results of the questionnaire.
Highlights
Today’s military establishment, its active duty, reserve, and civilian personnel, must be trained and ready to absorb the world with an appreciation of diverse cultures and to communicate directly with local and foreign populations
The Department finds itself in the unlikely position of advancing a national educational agenda that encourages the military of the USA to recognize the importance of various foreign language competences, to meet national security needs, but for the United States to remain competitive in the global marketplace. (DLI Annual Program Review, 2007)
71 % of the respondents stated the importance of good language competences and high level (STANAG 6001) of English (II) or any other foreign language for the officers and professional soldiers who might participate in various North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or EU international missions and operations
Summary
Today’s military establishment, its active duty, reserve, and civilian personnel, must be trained and ready to absorb the world with an appreciation of diverse cultures and to communicate directly with local and foreign populations. Acquired foreign language competences may save lives of the military especially when they are performing various traditional combat missions, just as they are identified as critical for performing irregular warfare missions. He/she is sidetracked in a world where the official language of science, internet, management, military is English. Those who speak more than one language are more creative, adapt better to the labor market, more successfully climb up the career ladder in both civil and military structures and organizations. With the multi-linguistic communication, for instance, the cadets from the Military Academy of Lithuania, professional guards of National Defense system, are put forward with the necessity to acquire all-round requirements through foreign language competences so that they could successfully maintain National and International Security and keep law and order if it is necessary
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