Get Paid to Learn Languages!

Have you ever dreamed of getting paid to learn a new language? It might sound too good to be true, but the U.S. Army offers exactly that opportunity through two career paths: 35P (Cryptologic Linguist) and 35M (Interrogator). These language-coded Military Occupational Specialties (MOS) provide a unique chance to immerse yourself in a new culture while earning a salary and valuable skills.

The Army Advantage:

The Army stands out as the only military branch that allows you to choose your job before signing your enlistment contract. This means you have control over your military career from day one. For language enthusiasts, 35P and 35M are particularly attractive options.

Defense Language Institute: A Linguistic Paradise

As part of your training, you'll spend 9 to 18 months at the prestigious Defense Language Institute (DLI) in picturesque Monterey, California. Here, you'll have the opportunity to select your top three language choices. Imagine running on the beach every day while learning Farsi, Arabic, or Mandarin!

Benefits Beyond Language Skills:

Financial Rewards: Your language skills can earn you significant bonuses. For example, I received an initial bonus of $30,000 for a 5-year contract, and an additional $1,000 monthly for maintaining my language proficiency. Now I believe the initial bonus is 40-50,000$, and the monthly language pay is going to increase to up to 1750$ extra per month.

Education: DLI graduates earn an associate's degree, with the possibility of obtaining a bachelor's degree through advanced courses.

Career Opportunities: The skills and the top security clearance you get will lead to lucrative job offers from defense contracting agencies, even without a college degree. Several of my friends who are in their early 20's now work for Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and Boeing, making 6 figures. None of them have college degrees.

Travel and Adventure: Enjoy language refresher courses in exotic locations like Bavaria while getting paid. For the last 3 years I have gone to Garmisch-Partenkirchen just south of Munich for 5 weeks to refresh my language.

For high school graduates unsure about their future, this career path offers a unique blend of education, adventure, and financial stability. With substantial re-enlistment bonuses (up to $80,000 tax-free if taken while deployed) and unparalleled benefits, the Army's linguist programs are truly a "life cheat code".

Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn, earn, and serve. Whether you're in high school or college, consider embarking on this rewarding journey. Who knows? You might love it so much that you'll want to learn another language, like me. I am going back to learn Arabic in a month! That's another year and a half to two years at the DLI, this time as an E6!