About this Unit
The Defense Language Institute (DLI) was established in 1941 as the Military Intelligence Service Language School at the Presidio of San Francisco to train linguists in Japanese during World War II. It later expanded to teach a wide variety of strategic languages critical to U.S. military and intelligence operations. In 1946, the school relocated to the Presidio of Monterey in California, where it became known as the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. Today, DLI serves all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, providing intensive language instruction to support global military missions and national security efforts.
Historical Facts
• Origins in World War II: The Defense Language Institute (DLI) traces its roots to 1941, when the U.S. Army established the Military Intelligence Service Language School at the Presidio of San Francisco to teach Japanese to U.S. soldiers.
• Relocation to Monterey: In 1946, the school moved to the historic Presidio of Monterey, California, where it remains the primary DLI campus today.
• Over 40 Languages Taught: DLI currently offers instruction in more than 40 languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Korean, and Pashto, making it one of the largest language schools in the world.
• Intensive Language Programs: The Institute is renowned for its rigorous, immersion-style programs, often requiring students to spend 6 to 18 months learning a language full-time.
• Multi-Service Student Body: DLI trains members from all branches of the U.S. military, as well as select personnel from federal agencies and allied foreign militaries.
• Role in the Cold War: During the Cold War, DLI played a vital part in training linguists for intelligence and signal operations involving Russian, Chinese, and other strategic languages.
• Heritage Speakers and Native Instructors: Many DLI instructors are native speakers, and the Institute also recruits heritage speakers from within the U.S. military and civilian population.
• Accredited Education: DLI is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) and awards associate degrees to qualifying graduates.
• Language Olympics: DLI organizes the annual "Language Olympics," a competition where students and faculty demonstrate linguistic and cultural skills in various events.
• Impact on National Security: DLI graduates have played key roles in every major U.S. military conflict since World War II, providing critical translation, interpretation, and intelligence support worldwide.
