Career Spotlight: Translators

Options and Ideas for Your Future

Interpreters and translators are vital in today's military and society in general. These language specialists do more than just translate words -- they relay concepts and ideas between languages. So... if you're an excellent communicator and you enjoy foreign languages and cultures, you should consider a career as an interpreter or translator.

Interpreters must be able to focus, understand what is communicated in both languages, and express thoughts and ideas clearly. Strong research and analytical skills, mental dexterity and an exceptional memory are also important.

Translators also convert written materials from one language into another. They must have excellent writing and analytical ability. Because the documents that they translate must be as flawless as possible, they also need good editing skills. Translating involves more than replacing a word with its equivalent in another language; sentences and ideas must be manipulated to flow with the same coherence as those in the source document so that the translation reads as though it originated in the target language.

Working Conditions

Working environments for interpreters and translators vary. Civilian interpreters work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, courtrooms and conference centers. Military translators and interpreters working conditions are similar to civilian interpreters. However, many military translators also serve in roles, such as community relations, intelligence gathering and other related military missions.

Qualifications

There is no single form of certification required for interpreters and translators in the United States, but workers can take a variety of different tests voluntarily to demonstrate proficiency. The American Translators Association provides accreditation in more than 24 language combinations for its members; other options include a certification program offered by The Translators and Interpreters Guild. Many interpreters are not certified. Federal courts have certification for Spanish, Navajo and Haitian Creole interpreters, and many state and municipal courts offer their own forms of certification. The National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators also offers certification for court interpreting. Military translators undergo rigorous training that prepares them for translator careers both in service and the civilian world.

Salary

Earnings depend on language, subject matter, skill, experience, education, certification and type of employer, and salaries of interpreters and translators can vary widely. Interpreters and translators with language skills for which there is a greater demand, or for which there are relatively few people with the skills, often have higher earnings. Interpreters and translators with specialized expertise, such as those working in software localization, also generally command higher rates.

Here are translator salaries in the Army.

Higher demand for interpreters and translators in recent years has resulted directly from the broadening of international ties and the increase in the number of foreign language speakers in the United States. In addition, current events and changing political environments, often difficult to foresee, will increase the need for persons who can work with other languages. For example, homeland security needs are expected to drive increasing demand for interpreters and translators of Middle Eastern and North African languages, primarily in federal government agencies such as the Defense Department and Homeland Security.

Next Step

The U.S. Army currently is offering the following cash bonuses:

• Translator aide (Middle Eastern languages) bonus of $10,000 for enlisting in the U.S. Army Individual Ready Reserve.
• An Army Civilian Skills bonus of $5,000 for the Army (active duty) or $15,000 for the Army Reserve for applicants with no previous military service experience.
• An additional $20,000 Quick Ship bonus for those who are willing to report to basic training within 30 days.

These bonuses may be combined with the Army's other cash enlistment bonuses for a maximum combination of $40,000 for a four-year enlistment.

Note: In addition to regular pay and benefits, Army translators also qualify for up to $1,000 a month in foreign language proficiency pay.

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