PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. Aca,!" The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center here has added an Afghanistan languages link to its series of online language Aca,!A"portalsAca,!A? designed for service members who can benefit from self-instruction materials in languages and culture.

DLIFLCAca,!a,,cs Afghan Languages Portal offers instructional resources in Dari language, spoken by an estimated 95 percent of Afghans, and in Pashto, spoken by an estimated 65 percent.

The portals are designed for service members who are deployed or who are preparing for deployment. They are readily available to all Internet users who log on to www.dliflc.edu/LangPortal/index.html. All DLIFLC language portals provide useful phrases and vocabulary in target languages along with information about the countries or regions in which they are spoken. Developers say trained linguists in need of refresher materials may find the portals useful.

DLIFLC opened the Afghan Language Portal Feb. 5. The opening came soon after Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of the International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, set language requirements for U.S. troops who deploy to Afghanistan.

Aca,!A"Language training is as important as marksmanship, medical, unit drills, physical fitness and other key training that you will conduct prior to deploying to Afghanistan,Aca,!A? McChrystal said in a Jan. 24 memo to brigade combat teams. The Aca,!A"ability to speak with Afghans in their language will allow you to more easily interact with those who speak little or no English and show respect for the country and culture.Aca,!A?

DLIFLC is best known for its resident training in foreign languages for all branches of the U.S. military services. Currently 23 languages are taught at its Presidio of Monterey campus which has a student population of about 3,000.