Vietnam » Overview of LTC Sutherland’s experiences with US Pacific Command in Vietnam

Overview of LTC Sutherland's experiences with US Pacific Command in Vietnam
ltc-sutherland_fao_pics_reduced.doc

Overview of LTC Sutherland’s experiences with US Pacific Command in Vietnam

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5 Responses to “Overview of LTC Sutherland’s experiences with US Pacific Command in Vietnam”
  1. SPC Nguyen, David C. says:
    February 26th, 2008 at 1:35 am

    LTC Sutherland,

    What would be the process to enroll into Vietnames Language School in Monterey, CA ?
    At this time, my MOS is 88M, and I’m getting a little tire of driving truck on convoys on every drill.
    I’m been to Viet Nam 3-time in the past four years, and can only speak the language. It would be great for me to
    learn how to read & right in my native language also.

    Best Regards,

    SPC Nguyen, David C

  2. john says:
    February 26th, 2008 at 2:09 am

    SPC Nguyen,

    You need to have your unit send you. So, you need to get into a unit that has language slots. Unfortunately Vietnamese is no longer taught at DLI in Monterey. I believe there are contractors used at DLI East (East Coast/DC) or they send the military to the State Department FSI (Foreign Service Institute). Key is that you get in a unit, MI or Linguist uint that has a slot, then you apply to DLI. Another option is to use TA (Tuition Assistance) to pay for foreign language study, TA for the Army can pay up to $4,500 a year and you can use that for studying a language. I am sure you can find a school near you that teaches Vietnamese. You can also do what I do, get a Vietnamese newspaper and a dictionary and carry it with you everywhere you go. Make up some flash cards on new vocabulary. Start learning now, don’t wait for someone to send you to DLI.
    Good Luck!

    Xin chào,

    LTC Sutherland
    Trung Tá Nam

  3. SSG Jay Nguyen says:
    February 26th, 2008 at 5:04 am

    LTC Sutherland and SPC Nguyen

    SIR,

    This is no doubt an opportunity and tremendous documented event for us after leaving VietNam. I was 10 when I left VN. If I did stay behind, I would have been drafted into VN North Army at 13. My mother constantly fear for my life with deployment to Iraq. Especially, when she found ways for me to escaped. I have spent several years in re-education camp after war since my father was an NCO in South VN Army.

    Will there be opportunity for VN Soldiers in the US Army to join this historical event?

    SPC Nguyen,

    Check with you local community colleges, manny of these colleges teach VN as a zero credit electective. If you in California, the VN community there have VN schools on Saturday.

    SSG Jay Nguyen
    USAR

  4. SFC Truong, Long says:
    February 26th, 2008 at 5:14 pm

    Sir,

    I am SFC Long Truong, currently with 160th Long Range Surveillance Detachment (Airborne), I am in Iraq right now on my second tour, I saw your e-mail, and just curious what exactly that you do over in Vietnam?. I can speak, read, and write Vietnamese fluently, my MOS is 11B4V.

    I am like many other Vietnamese, I left Vietnam when I was 9 years old, during the Fall of Saigon. My father was a former Deputy Comander South Vietnamese Airborne Division.

    Can my skills be uses over there to support the U.S. military?.

    SFC Truong
    USAR

  5. PFC Do, Tuan says:
    March 6th, 2008 at 4:59 pm

    Sir,

    I am a 35M (HUMINT Collector) and just started my career in the MI field. I have never been back to VN since coming to America at the age of 4. I can speak and read in Viet and have taken a DLPT test for my lanuage. My score was 3 in listening and 2 in writing. I was wondering if there was any way an MI soldier could get an assignment to VN?

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