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This is NOT an official Army-sanctioned webpage. This is just an NCO trying to help other Soldiers out. Whatever my opinions are on here are not to be considered the opinions of the Army, or even considered fact. All information presented should be double-checked with your CLPM and Retention NCO/Recruiter, or double-checked in the Army Regulation or message provided. Despite my best efforts and collaboration with other NCOs, I am sometimes wrong and you shouldn't base your enlistment/re-enlistment solely on what I have to say, but rather use this information as a base for your research.

Saturday, December 21, 2013

MOS Requirements for 35P / DLAB Scores

Some of the most frequent questions I get about MOS 35P is "what is the minimum score on the DLAB", "Do I have to take the DLAB", or "can I get a waiver for a low DLAB score"?

The short answer to the question is this (Per the Army MOS Smartbook, August 2008):
The current and approved minimum DLAB score for accessions into this MOS at any given time will be reflected in the REQUEST program in accordance with the category of languages required and being recruited. If initial DLPT score is below L2-R2, the DLAB must be administered.
For the long(er) answer, keep reading:

Per AR 11-6 dated August 2009, the following DLAB scores are required per category:
a. Category I: 95 or higher. 
b. Category II: 100 or higher.
c. Category III: 105 or higher.
d. Category IV: 110 or higher.
Per the latest DLIFLC catalog:

  • 95 for a Category I language (French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish)
  • 100 for a Category II language (German)
  • 105 for a Category III language (Hebrew, Hindi, Persian Farsi, Dari, Punjabi, Russian, Serbian/Croatian, Tagalog, Thai, Turkish, Uzbek and Urdu)
  • 110 for a Category IV language (Modern Standard Arabic, Arabic Iraqi, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Levantine, and Pashto)
So the long(est) answer is depending on what is currently needed, the 35P MOS might change per the needs of the Army. So the Army would require you to have a 105 on the DLAB if, for example, they only needed Persian-Farsi or would require 110 if they only needed Arabic linguists. If you only scored a 95, for example, and they needed Persian linguists, you wouldn't qualify for the MOS.

Need to learn more about improving or taking your DLAB for the first time? Click here.

Want to see the other MOS requirements for MOS 35P? Continue on...


Physical demands rating and qualifications for initial award of MOS. The cryptologic linguist must possess the following qualifications:

(1) A physical demands rating of very heavy.

(2) A physical profile of 222121.

(3) Normal color vision.

(4) Qualifying scores.
(a) A minimum score of 95 in aptitude area ST on Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) tests administered prior to 2 January 2002.
(b) A minimum score of 92 in aptitude area ST on ASVAB tests administered on and after 2 January 2002 and prior to 1 July 2004.
(c) A minimum score of 91 in aptitude area ST on ASVAB tests administered on and after 1 July 2004.

(5) The Soldier must meet TOP SECRET (TS) Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access eligibility requirements to be awarded this MOS. For clearance requirements to attend training, refer to the Army Training Requirements and Resources System (ATRRS). 

(6) Soldier is required to take a counterintelligence scope polygraph (CSP) prior to being awarded this MOS.

(7) A high school graduate or equivalent prior to entry onto active duty.

(8) Meet hearing acuity test standards per AR 40-501 (table 7-1).

(9) A qualifying score of 100 on the Audio Perception Test (APT).

(10) Demonstrate clear enunciation and comprehension of English and good Standard English grammar skills. Applicants who are not native-born citizens or who have not attended U.S. schools since the age of 6 must obtain a minimum score of 80 in reading and listening on the English Comprehension Level Test (ECLT) or American Course Language Placement Test (ACLPT). The Executive Agent for English is the Defense Language Institute English Language Center (DLIELC).

(11) Soldiers accessing into this MOS must have a minimum qualifying score on the Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB) or a qualifying score of L2-R2 (listening-reading) on the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) in a required and documented foreign language. The current and approved minimum DLAB score for accessions into this MOS at any given time will be reflected in the REQUEST program in accordance with the category of languages required and being recruited. If initial DLPT score is below L2-R2, the DLAB must be administered.

(12) Never been a member of the U.S. Peace Corps, except as specified in AR 614-200 (para 3-2).

(13) No information in military personnel, Provost Marshal, intelligence, or medical records that would prevent the granting of a security eligibility under AR 380-67 (para 3.401.a).

(14) No record of conviction by court-martial.

(15) No record of conviction by a civil court for any offense other than minor traffic violations.

(16) Must be a U.S. citizen.

(17) Soldier and spouse must not have immediate family members who reside in a country within whose boundaries physical or mental coercion is known to be common practice, either against-
(a) Persons accused of or acting in the interest of the U.S. or
(b) The relatives of such persons to whom they may reasonably be considered to be bound by ties of affection, kinship, or obligation. Immediate family for both Soldier and spouse includes both blood and step-: parents, spouse, children, sisters, brothers, any sole living blood relative, or a person in loco parentis per AR 600-8-10.

(18) Have neither commercial nor vested interest in a country within whose boundaries physical or mental coercion is known to be a common practice against persons acting in the interests of the U.S. This requirement applies to the Soldier's spouse as well.

(19) Meet career management and development criteria contained in AR 614-200 and DA Pam 351-4.

(20) MOS closed for reclassification to Soldiers who have been deemed permanently nondeployable
in accordance with AR 614-30, AR 40-501, AR 220-1 and AR 600-8-101. Soldiers must meet the minimum criteria for retainability stated in AR 600-60, paragraph 4-2(b) and befully deployable to all locations and echelons.

(21) MOS closed for reclassification at SFC, MSG and SGM, except for those Soldiers within CMF 35.

12 comments:

  1. Korean is no longer considered a CAT IV Language. It is now CAT III.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Where are you citing this from? DLIFLC still has the course listed at CAT IV and I seriously doubt they're gonna revamp the korean course from 64 to 47 weeks.

      Delete
    2. I see it is still listed as CAT IV as well...anyone find the post-er's source on why it is now CATIII?

      Delete
  2. I know their main focus is on middle-eastern languages. I am curious if they'd even consider anything other than those, for example Russian.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I wanted to ask the fact that my parents are US Citizens but are originally not from the USA would this render my chances of getting a Top Secret Clearance? also I have foreign born relatives still living where my parents are originally from which is Punjab, India and would this also be an issue for me to join as a 35P? Thank you

    ReplyDelete
  4. Do you have any example of reenlistment waiver request for need improvement on NCOER due to DLPT failure.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I scored a 108 on the DLAB. I had to retake and got 105. I am told I need a 110 for Arabic. I was also told I could get a waiver. Since, I have been toldl DLI does not accept waivers. Any advice. I was only offered Arabic as a language

    ReplyDelete
  6. I know somebody who scored a 128, just finished his BT, American born, primary language English, highly educated and proficient in Spanish, has permanent training orders for Montery, but was sent to Goodfellow Airbase where Crypto / Intel training is conducted, prefers Russian, but hasn't been assigned a language yet. What are the expectations / outlook. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  7. If you already speak two to three languages can you get asvab score waiver?? Thanks

    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete
  9. How well do the linguists know the language? Are they fluent? Do they know just enough to get by? Bare minimum language skills?

    ReplyDelete
  10. I only scored an 88 on the dlab, am I going to have to retake it to be accepted as this MOS?

    ReplyDelete