WOFF Phil Cowie is the Lecturer in Charge of the School's East Timorese department.

ADF School of Languages has grown from strength to strength in the past 58 years as a state-of-the-art military language training facility.

Known around the world, and as a western world-leader in the instruction of Asian languages, ADF Langs confidently and effectively puts tri-Service students through a host of gruelling and intensive language courses.

The courses of choice are determined by Defence, concentrating on areas of Australian operational deployment, postings to international staff colleges, diplomatic postings or international materiel suppliers.

First on offer was Japanese in July 1944 under the banner of the RAAF School of Languages. The school was raised to fill a recognised requirement by the armed forces to train members as interpreters. Based in Sydney until August the following year, the school then saw a move to Ascot Vale, Victoria, then Point Cook - its home for the next 50 years.

Gradually, more languages were introduced as capabilities were required: Russian, Chinese, Indonesian and Thai.

In 1993, the RAAF School of Languages was renamed ADF School of Languages to more accurately reflect the way the school did its business.

ADF Langs - now based at RAAF Williams, Laverton, offers 20 languages, including this year's introduction of Arabic and Persian.

Lecturer-in-Charge of the Vietnamese Department and former ADF Langs director of studies, Mike Gretton, said some languages are more easily picked up than others, naming Tok Pisin, Vanuatan and Solomon Island Pidgin as the easiest.

Mr Gretton said that with the intensive instruction that ADF Langs offers, within two or three weeks students are able to carry on conversation with their instructors on a number of different topics.

Commanding Officer, Wing Commander John Steinbach said that ADF Langs produced competent linguists in a shorter time than other institutions, but at a price to the students.

'They work very hard and are highly motivated,' he said.

'There's a general perception that language training is something everybody can do, and that it is quite easy.

'In fact, learning a second language is one of the most complex tasks a human being can undertake. And, because not many people understand that, they don't generally recognise that anyone who has to do language training must commence that training well before they are to deploy overseas.

'As a result the ADF sometimes sends people overseas who are not adequately trained in the language of the target country. I would like to make it my mission to educate the wider Defence community to appreciate that language training is not simple, and does require substantial commitment.'

WGCDR Steinbach said ADF Langs was probably the best Asian language teaching school in the world, both inside and outside university academia. He added that ADF Langs was a very professional organisation with a highly qualified staff.

'We have a high staff/student ratio so the students get a lot of personal attention. Mentoring is a standard feature on our courses and students with problems are given extra attention.'

Mr Gretton said that the ratio of military to civilian staff has dropped over the past years resulting in only five military members. Of the civilian teaching staff, the majority are native-speakers.

'A native speaker is fully-conversant with the language, culture and history of the country they're dealing with,' Mr Gretton said.

WGCDR Steinbach said several different types of courses were run at ADF Langs.

'The general language courses run a full year - quite a commitment but the result is a fairly good linguist,' he said. 'Military basic courses are for people who don't need as highly developed language skills. These courses last up to 12 weeks depending on the language.

'For units that are deploying, we might do ad hoc training of a few weeks. A mobile training team is usually sent to the unit.'

He explained that people who graduated from ADF Langs at a certain level were entitled to be paid language proficiency allowance.

'How much they get depends on the language and to what skill level. To keep the allowance a member needs to qualify every two years.

'I think, that where a country like ours is located, if we are serious about regional engagement we have to have people in our armed forces and in the community who can communicate with these people in their own environment.'

To find out more about ADF Langs, visit their site on the Defweb: wilis001.sor.defence.gov.au/langs/idxjoin.htm.

By Simone Heyer-Irwin