Posted on Sep 21, 2022
SGT Infantryman
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Hello everyone. I went to see a retention NCO, she told me I have to take a DLAB test to reclass to 35P.
As far as I know, DLAB is for soldiers who do not know another language and to measure if they have abilities to learn different languages. I told retention NCO that I already have a DLPT score, but she said if I don’t bring the DLAB score she won’t help me. The retention NCO before her told me that I just need to take DLPT since I know multiple languages, but new retention NCO is saying something else that the Army will choose your language so I have to take the DLAB. So far, I have 5/5 Upper Korean and 2/1+ Japanese DLPT scores. I even read the regulation for dlab and dlpt, but couldn’t find the answer.
I’m afraid I might not get enough DLAB score for my languages and have to wait 6 months for retest. My contract is ending in 2024, and I know it takes 6-8 months to get TS. Is DLAB mandatory for reclassification or can I get a waiver? Thank you.
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Responses: 3
SFC Retention Operations Nco
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You won't find the answer in the DLAB regulation because it's not a DLAB question it's a 35P question. The answer is in DA Pam 611-21, Chapter 10C. It says that you will have a DLAB OR a qualifying score of a 2/2 DLPT in a language. In this case, the language needs to be an in need language as listed in the In/Out calls for your rank. Korean is almost always under strength or balanced. If Korean was over strength and they had no need for Korean then you would need a DLAB for a different language.

Because you're a speaker, you will not attend DLI, and will only attend the SIGINT portion of the course. You must have your TS prior to being able to get a class seat for that.

It sounds like your new Counselor is new. If they give you pushback, go to their senior at the Brigade level. If you are having issues, you can have them contact me, I am a Division Retention Operations NCO and can answer their questions
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SGT Infantryman
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SFC (Join to see) - Roger SFC, I naturalized this July. Thank you so much! :D
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SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM
SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM
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Thanks for Clarification
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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SSgt Clinton Krueger it is completely unreasonable to ask a Soldier to schedule a DOD test that is not required for them before assisting them with their retention needs. Korean is always in need, she's a 5/5 native speaker, it's a win for the Army to put her into the SIGINT course immediately. I

t would be a loss for the Army to make her wait several months to get the DLAB scheduled and receive the results, then wait several more months to go to a language course that's a year long, before going to the SIGINT course. That's a year and a half of wasted productivity waiting for her to qualify as a 35P
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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SSgt Clinton Krueger putting people into this MOS is actually my job. I am literally the person who Soldiers come to in order to put them into this MOS, and I've put about a dozen or so Soldiers into this MOS in the Army.

I am a Career Counselor, I haven't just seen this before, I reclass people and send them to school. You are not Army, you're (I assume) Air Force and any advice you have about Army administrative processes is probably incorrect or outdated. Stop giving bad advice about things you don't know about
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SFC David Reid, M.S, PHR, SHRM-CP, DTM
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I would look in the regulation that governs DLABs.
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SSG Dale London
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Edited 2 y ago
As far as I remember, DLAB score is a required field on the DA Form 2A of a linguist, so I reckon its mandatory.
It wouldn't surprise me if they use it as a way of prioritizing unit assignments when two soldiers with identical DLPT scores for the same language are competing for an assignment.
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SGT Infantryman
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Thank you for the guidance sir.
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