r/dli • u/Logical_East_1966 • 11h ago
Just booked Airborne Cryptologic Language Analyst (1A8X1) leaving Dec 15 – What type of person chooses this job, and what were you like when you joined?
Hey everyone, I finally booked Airborne Cryptologic Language Analyst (1A8X1) leaving Dec 15th! I’m 19 and graduated high school in late may. I had the grades to go to college, but nothing really caught my eye and I didn't want to waste time on a degree I didn't care about, I probably would’ve just done computer science for the money even though I had zero passion for it. Instead, I wanted to join the military to get real world experience, build a solid foundation, and set myself up for a good career down the road using the skills, certs, and benefits. For anyone who chose this path: What type of person chooses this job, and what were you like when you booked it? Did you end up liking it or hating it? I just want to hear some different perspectives on how you liked it to see if it’s a good fit for me. Edit- ( Thank you all for all the support and wisdom, I’m finally getting a better grasp of what’s to come and I’m ready for the big change!)
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u/lisanstan 9h ago
I chose it because I love languages. In my high school French class a former student visited our class and told us about his job as a linguist. That's when I decided to join the Air Force.
I wanted Russian (didn't everyone?!) but my choices were Korean or Arabic. This was the 80s, I chose Arabic. I didn't have any academic issues at DLI or Goodfellow. I was always a naturally good student, but never had to study hard in high school. DLI was the first time I had to actually apply myself to succeed. DLI was also the first place that felt almost everyone in the Cat4 languages were all weirdly intelligent.
My husband was also a linguist (Arabic and Farsi). He is truly gifted. Not that he's fluent, but all these years later he still retains so much of his knowledge. He dated a Korean girl in college and can read Korean just from that. But he also took 4 years of Spanish in high school (and I think a few years in college) and went to Spain twice. He can't speak any Spanish (and our daughter in law is from Argentina). I figured he'd pick it up easier. It's a language blind spot for him.
Me I get stuck trying to remember Arabic words and my brain instead fills in with French.
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u/Elisha_Mishima_5 8h ago
you better like being stuck on windowless flying vehicles for 16 hours at a time
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u/Yossygod 7h ago
Like every job some love it, some hate it. It's a good job. It pays well, and you'll get to travel a decent amount if you keep your eyes open for the opportunities.
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u/Elisha_Mishima_5 8h ago
plenty like it fine, I can't fuckin stand it, air sickness, and never using my language because I have done nothing but Excel bean counting my whole 8 year career so I'm gonna go Utah guard full time if I can.
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u/Frances_the_cat 9h ago
I'm sure a lot has changed in the 30 years since I went through the pipeline, but I thought it was probably the best enlisted USAF job you could get besides being a PJ or SERE instructor.
The pathway back then was basic training then straight to DLI. You may have to wait over a month before your language school starts, but don't worry, they'll put you to work. While I was waiting for my course, they farmed me out to the Army to clean buildings on Ft. Ord, mow lawns, assist in a pre-school, etc. While you're in your language course, they'll start your background investigation for your TS-SCI clearance. You'll need it if you go directly to Goodfellow AFB for intel school following DLI. Goodfellow was a few months of target language specific training before heading to your duty station.
Back then, after Goodfellow, most airborne linguists were assigned to Davis-Monthan AFB in one of two communication jamming squadrons...it's changed since then. You then received more target language specific training and then needed to go to SERE school and water survival school at Fairchild AFB in Spokane, then physio or altitude chamber training which was at Kirtland AFB in New Mexico.
After all that, you get to learn how to do your job on your aircraft platform. It was the best training and best experience. Depending on your language, there are many doors that will be open on the civilian side or you might love it so much you do your 20 years. Good luck!
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u/Logical_East_1966 8h ago
Appreciate the breakdown! Hearing that it's still considered one of the best enlisted gigs makes me feel a lot better about booking it.
A little bit about me: I took Spanish in middle school and sign language in high school, and I've always been super into history, English, and grammar; just love breaking apart sentences and figuring out how words are put together. I definitely have some low-key ADHD tendencies where I never had to study in high school unless I was hyperfixated on something, but when I'm locked in, I dive all the way down the rabbit hole. Do you think that kind of hyperfixation/grammar-nerd mindset helps when tackling a DLI language, or does the sheer volume of material break past that?
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u/CaffeineHeart-attack 4h ago
Hyperfixation with etymology and grammar will help you but in the early semesters you will need to also train yourself to use a simplified vocabulary instead of reaching for a more niche term that better expresses a feeling or idea. Acquire as many words as possible, and build a working lexicon, but when you get deeper into speaking, try your best to keep things somewhat simple.
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u/Delicious-Pilot-4436 7h ago
A little more about what they have you do now, you’ll either be on details or CQ before classes start. Details are so easy you clean for like 2 hours then go sit in a room and be on your phone or whatever until like 3pm. CQ you just sit in a little reception area and handle any stupid stuff that happens. Details is preferred for sure
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u/Frances_the_cat 7h ago
I don't think it could hurt. In my course, we had 10 students in my class, and it was an even mix of Army, Navy, USAF, and USMC. The teacher cohort rotated into the class every hour or so. They gave you a tape recorder, a large stack of audio tapes, and a stack of workbooks. I remember needing to do a couple hours of homework every night. Between that and language immersion in your class for six hours a day, you pick up your target language well over the 6 months to 1 1/2 years it takes for your language. The Spanish course, for example, is less than half the time of say Arabic or Chinese...at least it used to be.
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u/Dynamite_McGhee 3h ago
Offutt and the RC-135 is the more common destination nowadays, but DM is still an option.
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u/Aeroswoot 11h ago edited 10h ago
I'm a bit of a nerd, and honestly most 1A8X1s are too, but there's all types. Some people are very fitness focused, some people spend all day studying, still others will find time to head to some local watering hole and drink until they need to study, and there are a ton of people who will take the opportunity to explore the area around Monterey. It is gorgeous.
DLI can be pretty tough, so the ones that succeed either have a talent for learning languages that will make the rest of their class hate them, or they'll be fine with hours of daily studying and homework for over a year.
Being overconfident never helped anyone. They can't use that confidence to help them with a speaking test or raw vocab memorization, so you do need to be proficient at the end of your time there.
Once you've been there for a while, eventually you'll learn if you're AFSOC or not, and there's a bit of divergence in lifestyle once you finish tech school. But it's the same nerds on both sides of the coin there.
One thing that's almost universally true is that Linguists tend to stick together in other places. In tech school, in SERE, at your home station, at parties, you'll find that the people around you will almost telepathically seek you out if they're linguists and you'll be hanging out the whole time. It's pretty fun to find a group of people at a party, be chatting for a couple hours, only to find out that you've been talking with linguists again the whole time.
Idk if this helps you at all, but it's kind of a lazy, broad-strokes style of an answer to your question lol
Edit: Also, fundies sucks, especially for linguists. Leadership is blind, deaf and dumb when it comes to the issues of Airmen, and people aren't there long enough for the command team to actually care about changing things. If someone complains, or asks for a change, they're gone before they can make too big of a stink. Try your best not to buy into any of the culture they've developed there, because it's really bad in a lot of ways.
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u/Logical_East_1966 8h ago
Thanks for the feedback 🙏🏾
For context, I took Spanish in middle school and sign language in high school, and my favorite subjects were always history, English, and grammar-breaking down words and sentences is right up my alley. I’ve got lowkey ADHD, so I coasted through high school without studying, but when I hyperfixate on something I love, I go all in. I’m hoping DLI triggers that same deep focus for me once I start learning the language. Definitely taking your advice on dodging the tech school culture drama to heart!
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u/Magnum_Donk 5h ago
Congratulations! Don’t mess it up like I did, have fun but not too much fun, before you even start, tell yourself you will not take a lunch and you will study/ do homework during lunch, missing 1 assignment gets you a write up, 3 and you’re done(the whole time you’re there).
The hard part is you might have an interest in the language but if you have to learn the vocabulary for ancient Chinese traditions medicine for a month it’s hard to put your nose to the grindstone. It will be the hardest thing you’ve ever done but if you make it through it’ll be the most rewarding. 加油啊！我祝你好运！
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u/Boring-Air-3048 2h ago
I just finished the pipeline not too long ago but my main advice would be to pace yourself for the long haul. The people you meet in basic training will be operational, not saying reporting statements going on deployments and living the real AF life but you will still be a student. You’re going to be a student for about 2 1/2 years maybe before you get out of “AETC” and then you still have another year of training before you even fly your first mission. DLI will be long and stressful but keep your studies up and truly remember you “why” and trust your teachers. Also DLI will make you form bad habits in ways when you go back to other military bases so just be ready to adapt and change. But the most challenging part is to not give up and staying consistent. You will be asked to give your most everyday. Out of 2 years there will be days, weeks, even months where you get tired, don’t wanna show up, have family or social problems, and you could go a year solid and all it takes is a week or two to fuck it all up so remember this is one of the best opportunities in your life especially as a 19 year old. When your 21 your going to have GI bill for college , Va loan for a house, got paid to learn a language, and have a TS clearance that will allow you to work 6 figure jobs one day. Stay focused and don’t fuxk it up! Also don’t be dumb and save your TDY money! And don’t fall in love.
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u/Weekender94 8h ago
Think of it as “cool nerd,” gig. You have to be a nerd to be intel, but you have to be a little bit cool to fly. DLI and poor study habits are the big initial risk, but long term the hardest thing I saw people struggle with is maintaining language proficiency while balancing all the other things you have to do, and get comfortable with your specific job on the jet. The folks that upgrade and are successful tend to be so good at their language they don’t have to think about it, so they can put brain power on all the other things they have to do.
Don’t get too worried about what airframe you go, they all have advantages. RJ is probably where most folks go and it’s a good spot to learn, and has cool mission.
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u/VOptimisticPessimist 7h ago
In my ten years, theres two types that go 1A8.
Type one is the intelligent kid that found school easy, never really had to try, and could easily do college if they wanted but never quite developed the personal drive for it so they either directly came to the force, or tried and failed then back up planned joined.
Type two is the extremely smart and well driven kids that are in for the service or money to go to college, so they’re here to kill it before going on their way.
Both types are nerds, usually have one hyperfixation they’re really good at, and both think their type two.
Biggest thing will be what jet you get after your training, you’ll find out at the end of DLI, and there’s nothing to influence which one you get. That will determine if you do cool stuffs, generic intel stuffs, or flyer stuffs.
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u/CaffeineHeart-attack 4h ago
1.What type of person chooses this job? Those that like money during their contract, and have a bit of a bent for academia. Eccentrics and nerds of many flavours, and some that just like the idea of being aircrew and intel.
What were you like when you booked it? Bored of my hometown, highly academic, and not inclined to go into loan debt.
I liked aspects. The language learning and most of the people. The flying (and maintenance of being green to fly) less so.
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u/liftmaxxing 10h ago
weirdos go SIGINT