2CR Troops learn Pashto, Dari to get cultural understanding, prepare for deployment

By Spc. Joshua EdwardsFebruary 11, 2013

2CR Troops learn Dari, Pashto
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
2CR Troops learn Dari, Pashto
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – 130208-A-ZR192-028- U.S. Army Col. Douglas A. Sims, commander of 2nd Cavalry Regiment, talks with Troops at a graduation ceremony Feb. 8, 2013 at Rose Barracks, Germany. The Troops attended an 8-week language course and learned the basics of Dari and... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
2CR Troops learn Dari, Pashto
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Col. Douglas A. Sims (left), commander of 2nd Cavalry Regiment, presents a certificate of completion to Sgt. Nantana Pairat (right), also with the Regiment, at a graduation ceremony Feb. 8, 2013 at Rose Barracks, Germany. Troops with 2CR at... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
2CR Troops learn Dari, Pashto
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Col. Douglas A. Sims (right), commander of 2nd Cavalry Regiment, presents a 2CR Troop with a certificate of completion Feb. 8, 2013 at Rose Barracks, Germany. Troops with 2CR attended an 8-week language course and learned the basics of Dari... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

A graduation ceremony was held at the Multi-Purpose Center for the Troops of 2CR who successfully completed a Dari and Pashtu language course Feb. 8, at Rose Barracks, Germany.

The language course included topics such as family, occupation, recreation, travel and education within the Afghan culture. The course, normally taught over a 16-week period, was compressed into an eight-week time-frame, however included the same material and content. The 71 Troops who completed 252 hours of training had a goal of being able to learn the basics of Dari and Pashto, the two official languages of Afghanistan.

Rod Cole, Language Training Detachment site director for Grafenwoehr and Rose Barracks, describes the instructors who played a big part in the training.

"Being able to have this type of communication saves lives," said Cole. "The instructors were all born in Afghanistan and a lot of them have been interpreters in the past that worked with American Troops and eventually moved to the Unites States. They are all U.S. citizens and the results that we got were pretty amazing. They know the program and they do very well."

As a part of the Defense Language Institute's Foreign Language Center in Calif., the LTD for Grafenwoehr and Rose Barracks provides post-basic language pre-deployment training for Troops and is one of eight locations worldwide.

1st Lt. Christopher Perry with Anti-Armor Troop, 4th Squadron, 2CR, describes the experience the class and instructors gave him and touches on the benefits of being able to speak a foreign language.

"It was very phenomenal that our instructors were from Afghanistan," said Perry. "So besides just learning the language we were immersed in culture as well, constantly getting their insight on how things are ran in Afghanistan. It's very important to show an understanding of different people's culture and just being able to introduce yourself in their own language will demonstrate an acceptance of their culture and willingness to learn and work with them. It will make the partnership that much stronger."

In support of the mission, there are many obligations that must be fulfilled. Troops with 2CR have taken extra steps to ensure the mission is not only completed, but done in a manner that increases cultural awareness and creates good relations between the U.S. and partner nations.

"In the end, our ability to communicate with our afghan partners and citizens is going to be gigantic," said Col. Douglas A. Sims, 77th commander of the Regiment. "The communications piece can make the difference between making people like us, hate us or at least accept us. If you can converse with them and ask them how they are doing or ask them where they live, those kinds of small things can make a huge difference."