DLI is the sperg capital of the world

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Internet VFW > DLI is the sperg capital of the world

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

I'm stationed at DLI right now, did my first enlistment as a combat engineer, now becoming a 2600. It's true about the internet nerds here: I was at the base gym back in April, it was sexual assault awareness month so there were "SAA"-themed posters plastered all over the place. One of them was a giant mudkip and it said something along the lines of "sexual assault is serious business. /b/ lieks mudkipz". It made me rage a little. It seems like every other stupid boot here either plays WOW or LARPs secretly, or whatever else. I guess that's still not as bad as starting inter-service marriages at their ripe old age of ~18. I don't know how they even find time for all this poo poo, considering how difficult the course is (regardless of language). It's a whole different world out here, I swear, especially compared to being in a line company.

# ¿ Jul 9, 2010 02:28

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 01:55

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

Humbug Scoolbus posted:

The wash out rate in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Russian is incredible. Unless you can focus on your studies or be an innate loving language sponge...you will crash and burn. I was lucky cause I already knew one language besides English and I knew how to study.

I love Monterey and Northern California, so I stayed away from Post as much as possible. Did my homework and drank heavily on my off time. It was a pretty wonderful year.

It doesn't really matter what your background is IMHO. I know several languages; I haven't been speaking English all that long, and Pashto is kicking my rear end pretty well. You have to study here, no. matter. what. It's one thing to understand the language, but past some certain point you literally have to eat pages out of the dictionary daily just to keep up. There are a couple of kids in my class with little to no prior language experience doing at least as well as me, if not a little better.

# ¿ Jul 9, 2010 04:40

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

Tokan posted:

GHH - The spice girls? Are they getting booted for what it sounds like they're doing?

They call them that because there were four of them getting adseped, and it all started with the carful of them getting caught with spice and a bong in the front seat, at the front gate; none of them are actually female, or gay, or anything like that. It is also worth noting that their company first sergeant (who happened to be staff duty that day, which is same as an OOD) was in a car DIRECTLY BEHIND THEIRS.

# ¿ Jul 17, 2010 02:19

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

QingLaiXiguaba posted:

Credentials: I DLPT'd Chinese in July. 2+/2+/1+

It is, in fact, a bullshit test, and almost completely irrelevant to the job. What your going to learn very soon is that the DoD as well as the NSA look at mission-related language skills and global language skills very differently. Theoretically, the DLPT is supposed a test of your global language skills, and is in no way designed to be a test of your mission related linguistic ability.

That being said, the DLPT still fails miserably at being an accurate measure of your actual linguistic ability. My biggest gripe would be the fact that passages will often times simply be a 2 minute clip from a radio problem where somebody presents their idea on a problem and then backs up their argument, but the questions asked will be minor details mentioned in the passage, but irrelevant to the main idea. While it is logically sound that it is something mentioned in the passage and there is a correct answer, it completely misses the point of testing somebody's linguistic ability.

The OPI is equally bullshit. Friends from class who could barely get through a self introduction got 2s, my news topic was about the military exercises that occured about 12 hours before my OPI. I had no idea what to say, and I think they held it against me. Yes, I am a little bitter about it, but in case your curious the OPI literally matters for nothing. While it is a requirement as prescribed by the DoD for passing DLI, it will be irrelevant for the rest of your career and you will more than likely never have to take one again.

Also, the tests are incredibly inconsistent. While my abilities improved from 2nd to 3rd semester, I would put money on the final DLPT I took being much easier than the 2nd semester DLPT. I have friends who are in post right now because they went from a 1+ listening on the 2nd semester test to a 1 on the 3rd semester test. The only explanations I can come up with are flaws in the test and burnout, or some combination of the two.

I have a 4/3+ in Russian, 3/2+ in Ukrainian, and am currently in the second half of my Pashto course. As someone who's taken no less than 8 DLPTs in the past, I think the DLPT is a very fair assessment of your ability to understand a language. Having cited that experience, I have to say that I haven't found the test to be inconsistent in any way over the years. The OPI, on the other hand, is straight-up subjective bullshit. I just took one for the first time a few months ago. I speak Russian at least as well as English and somehow I got a 2+.

Also, prior 1371 here.

# ¿ Oct 2, 2010 04:45

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

QingLaiXiguaba posted:

I'm actually kind of anxious about my first post-DLI DLPT just to see how different it seems.

It's actually awesome cause you find out your score right away. Also, if your test admin's cool (most of them are, at least at the Pendleton LRC) they'll let you take breaks pretty much whenever you want, which is great if you smoke.

# ¿ Oct 2, 2010 05:05

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

grover posted:

An engineer in my office is fluent in two Chinese dialects when he joined, and received double language pay during his stint as a Naval officer... in which they stuck him behind a desk in DC watching buildings get built, and he never actually did any translating. Meanwhile, Navy paid a lot of money to send someone else through school to learn Chinese and probably not as good as this guy.

Yay DoD.

True story, I've been getting double FLPP almost since day one, and I've only been a linguist for less than a year. The other 3+ years I was a combat engineer. You better believe I never used my Russian or Ukrainian skills in Iraq. When I actually got to DLI though, they put me in Pashto. Next month I take my first Pashto DLPT, and if all goes well, I should come pretty close to maxing out my FLPP.

# ¿ Oct 4, 2010 13:48

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

Otto Skorzeny posted:

Machine translation is an AI problem that has received tons of funding since at least the 60s btw. It's almost the platonic form of problems AI research promised to solve quickly and easily that turned out to be fiendishly hard.

True story, SYSTRAN, the company that wrote Yahoo Babelfish and the early code for Google Translate has been around since 1968, born of a government contract with the USAF for machine-based Russian translation. They are working on many different projects now, but USG is still their largest client.

# ¿ Oct 7, 2010 04:16

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

hammeredspace posted:

Honestly, tell me: is it natural, god-given talent that lets you double-triple up on the FLPP, or do you spend your off-hours pouring over dogshit that would never otherwise interest you in languages you'll never even have a passing casual interest in exercising?

If it's the latter how do you stop yourself from killing yourself unless learning a new word in Pasto gives you the biggest goddamn orgasm the world will never know of

I know you're human god drat it; tell me your loving secret.

Russian and Ukrainian are my native languages. I learned English when I was 12. I understand all 3 equally well, and I speak Russian no worse than I speak English. I can't speak Ukrainian though, unless maybe I take a refresher course or something. Pashto just happens to be what the great logistical genius behind the curtain assigned to me. I have no idea why, but I'm still doing my best to learn it. I'm at about 1+/1+ right now, my goal is 3/3 before 2013 so I can land an awesome contract job if I choose to get out after this. And yes, I will study on my own time just to get those numbers.

# ¿ Oct 7, 2010 04:21

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

DLI is AA degree, and only if you have/can get 18 credits outside of DLI on top of the actual course. Then, I suppose you could use TA to get a BA before the end of your enlistment, but not everyone can do that (deployments, etc.).

# ¿ Feb 16, 2011 17:55

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

Not likely, I have a higher score than that in Russian, and was never contacted about it. Never heard of it happening to anyone else, either. However, I wouldn't be surprised, because they're not just giving you free money for being special; everyone with a high enough score is probably on a list somewhere.

Also, the new Pashto DLPT is the poo poo! I got 3/3 and know of 3 other Marines I went through DLI with who also got 3/3s recently.

# ¿ May 4, 2012 03:38

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

SirEverlast posted:

Awesome, I had only known one person prior to this to get a 3/3, and she was a prior Arabic 3/3 linguist.

That female Army SSG? I was just getting started with Pashto when she took that DLPT. Arabic most definitely helps with the upper level DLPT stuff, but the new multiple choice test gives you a fair chance if you don't have that skill set (hence all the 3/3s recently)

# ¿ May 4, 2012 13:59

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

Friday drunkpoast, MOS relevant

new friend from school fucked around with this message at 03:54 on May 5, 2012

# ¿ May 5, 2012 03:30

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

Black Balloon posted:

Currently play, or at some point played? The latter: all of them.

Graduated a 63wk course last June, never played WoW. Not even once.
Less than half of my 81 Marines played. I realize that this is the exception to the rule.

# ¿ Sep 30, 2012 12:07

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

I'm on it bro, give me a minute.

Edit: Done, check thread.

new friend from school fucked around with this message at 17:31 on Nov 9, 2012

# ¿ Nov 9, 2012 16:34

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

Black Balloon posted:

Is it common to come out of it feeling like I failed?

I have 4/4/3 in one language, 3/3 in another, and 3/3/2+ in a third. The first two are my native languages. I have taken the DLPT no less than 14 times in the last 7 years (28 if you could reading and listening as separate tests). Every time I walked out feeling confident, I had not done nearly as well as I thought I had. Every time I walked out feeling no confidence at all (the way you would after taking a DLAB), I got a perfect score. In my experience, it is perfectly normal to feel this way, and you will probably be OK.

IRT "perfect score", I refuse to believe the upper range Russian DLPT goes past 4 :colbert:

new friend from school fucked around with this message at 07:28 on Mar 2, 2013

# ¿ Mar 2, 2013 07:19

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

That's because they suck. I did Pashto, never studied, got good grades, 3/2+/2+ final DLPT/OPI (back then it was constructive response, too), still sitting on 3/3/2+ two years later. Just don't be a stressed out bitch and you'll be fine.

# ¿ Sep 17, 2013 04:14

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

If you're a single E-4, then you probably won't be living off base. However, if things are anything like they were a couple of years ago, then they have no room for a (presumably) single E-5/E-6 in the barracks/dorms. Accommodations for E-5/E-6 and more than adequate, assuming you choose to live on "base" housing, though you probably won't have another choice if you're single. Probably one or two bedroom ranch-style townhouse, about 1200 sq ft. Plenty of stuff to do in the area. MPC is a decent school and relatively affordable, other more expensive schools are right there too (CSUMB, MIIS, etc.) Job market is healthy, which is good because cost of living is insane. Also, between school and military responsibilities, you won't be around all that much, so I hope you trust your brother.

Also, google Fort Ord housing sometime, and you can check out the floor plans and pictures and all.

new friend from school fucked around with this message at 01:14 on Sep 22, 2013

# ¿ Sep 22, 2013 01:08

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

TAC posted:

This answered my questions perfectly. Thank you!

Forgot to add, if he doesn't have his own car, getting around on a bike is doable. Bike trails are everywhere, and they go to all the places you would want to go.
Also, get ready for the worst drivers anywhere. Having s steady climate (never too hot or too cold, seasons are almost indiscernible) and a tourism industry catered towards old people, the streets are always filled with out-of-the-area, irate, lost, and confused senior drivers. Have fun with that.

# ¿ Sep 22, 2013 04:26

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

I don't know what you're crying about, though. An occasional day off intense learning can be similarly beneficial to taking a day off from heavy lifting. You get a whole lot of time in the classroom with a very low student/teacher ratio. If you're putting forth the effort and if you have the aptitude, you will learn. One "fun day" isn't going to change that. If anything, it might be good for you.

# ¿ Sep 28, 2013 04:20

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

Good thing there's a shop straight out the gate, down that street at the bottom of the hill. It's a decent place, had some work done there once. I don't remember the name, but it's across the street from a vet place. You may be able to roll in there in neutral most of the way.

# ¿ Feb 19, 2014 13:02

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

Protip: once you have the degree, get a few copies of sealed official transcripts before you leave DLI. If you try to get them later, it's still free but takes no poo poo 8 weeks.

# ¿ Jul 20, 2014 00:02

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

Anyone here current DLI who has the username/pass to RapidRote? Please pm

# ¿ Sep 11, 2014 19:11

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

Analogical posted:

They must have really improved the Pash course. When I was at DLI they were just standing it up and a 1+/1+ was gold back then but the instructors were mostly farmers too.

Farsi should be harder linguistically though it has more resources and actual instructors, so it's easier to learn normally. Silvance is about to hate his life, only one place you gon end up boy

You're not in Disgusta are you?

The Pashto course wasn't harder, the DLPT was. Back then, it was constructive response (got a 2+/2 on mine), they switched to multiple choice in 2012 iirc, I got a 3/3 first time I took that.

# ¿ Nov 21, 2014 15:10

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

Analogical posted:

They must have really improved the Pash course. When I was at DLI they were just standing it up and a 1+/1+ was gold back then but the instructors were mostly farmers too.

Farsi should be harder linguistically though it has more resources and actual instructors, so it's easier to learn normally. Silvance is about to hate his life, only one place you gon end up boy

You're not in Disgusta are you?

The Pashto course wasn't harder, the DLPT was. Back then, it was constructive response (got a 2+/2 on mine), they switched to multiple choice in 2012 iirc, I got a 3/3 first time I took that.

# ¿ Nov 21, 2014 15:10

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

The only legit reason to pick CLJN is if it's close to home. Anything else is better.

# ¿ Jan 31, 2015 11:44

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

MassivelyBuckNegro posted:

The only legit reason to pick Lejuene is if the alternative is 29 Palms. No matter how often people say 'Well Vegas is only 2 hours and LA/San Diego are 3' those are still really long drives, outside of liberty radius probably, and expensive.

edit: I apologize if this isn't relevant. I assume there is a 1st intel/1st radbn detachment at 29palms.

There's no SIGINT activity of significance at 29 Palms, so no.
Also, 29 Palms isn't that awful. The on-base amenities are far nicer than any other USMC base, save maybe for Miramar. Last time I did EMV (I'm out now, this was 2012), I had some really great times at the NCO club. If you like the desert, especially offroading, then it's p chill in that regard too. As you noted, there are some nice places a couple of hours away. It's the same for Lejeune, I would find myself driving out to Raleigh/Durham nearly every weekend because I couldn't loving stand it in the local area. Even flew to Charlotte and back a couple of times for shows.
I would hate to have to choose between Lejeune and 29 Palms, as both are quite lovely places, but if I were still active duty and single, I'd prob pick 29 Palms just for the sake of being in Cali, gently caress Lejeune.

# ¿ Feb 1, 2015 09:29

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

Friar Zucchini posted:

Having actually gone to DLI I have come to the conclusion that literally any "DLI story" is absolutely plausible. Place is hosed up.

# ¿ Feb 23, 2015 04:56

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 01:55

new friend from school: May 19, 2008; by Azathoth

Silvance posted:

So I'll be in meade in 3 days. Anything you guys can tell me about the post?

Also, anyone here a pashto linguist? I'd like to keep my 3/3 but after my experience at Goodfellow I learned the vast difference between real pashto and DLI pashto. What did you guys do to improve your real (grammatically incorrect ) Pashto?

I used to be a Pashto linguist. I kept up my "real" Pashto skillz by being in Afghanistan. This lowered my DLPT score from 3/3 to 2/2+, but I dgaf cause I made E-6 in the USMC in under 8 years and was about to get out anyway, plus I'd always had native Russian and Ukrainian skills at 3/3 or higher the whole time I was in, so FLPP was maxed no matter what.
From what I understand, Meade will provide plenty for you to maintain "real" language skills. Watch BBC Pashto for DLPT practice lol

Internet Wizard posted:

I don't think I've seen a single foreign uniform, so unless they're in civvies I don't think they're around much.

This was definitely a thing in 2010-11, and probably before then as well.

new friend from school fucked around with this message at 05:38 on Apr 24, 2015

# ¿ Apr 24, 2015 05:35

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