[cookcounty]

"Is there some reason translations can't be done by civilian support personnel? That would moot the whole issue. "

No. These guys, for the most part, are not just guys sitting in cubicles translating docs...

They are involved in investigations, interrogations, and working as theatre liason situations, in other words, it isn't something civvies can do

[Per-Ling]

I'll agree here. I'm currently a student at DLI studying Farsi in the Navy. Yes, we will never be as adept at the language as a native speaker, but there is a desire to recruit patriotically-driven home-grown Americans. 3 skilled non-native DLI grads can do the work of one native speaker. The military is willing to accept that seeming inefficiency for the security they feel knowing that boy from Iowa with the headphones on has his heart in the right place.

Yes, some sit in offices and translate docs, but most are in theater dealing with real-time data transfer. I'll stop there...

The issue with homosexuals in my opinion, has more to do with an acceptably upstanding lifestyle. Getting a TS security clearance is not all that difficult. Things that will keep you from getting cleared are habitual drug use, habitual fiscal irresponsibility, sexual deviancy, namely anything that resembles a skeleton-in-the-closet that a foreign agent can use to "persuade" you to turn. Homosexuality is a biggie...

DLI is a great institution. I'm sure I'll appreciate it even more after I leave. Sure is a b1tch waking up at 0300 with Farsi sentences rattling your brain!