Special Operations Forces: Enhanced Training, Analysis, and Monitoring Could Improve Foreign Language Proficiency
Fast Facts
U.S. special operations forces personnel often need to know foreign languages to do their jobs overseas.
The military services identify foreign languages for missions and how many personnel should know them. But planning officials couldn't explain how they align language needs with missions, and some of the identified needs may not be accurate or relevant.
Also, many special operations forces members aren't meeting language proficiency goals—maybe because there aren't consistent consequences for them if they don't.
We recommended that DOD improve its procedures, training, and accountability for special operations forces personnel on this issue.
A special operations Marine Raider participates in a role-playing activity for a language course in 2023
Highlights
What GAO Found
Every 2 years the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) develops a 5-year forecast of foreign language capability training needs. However, a key element of this process on determining mission requirements is not consistently followed, leading to uncertainty on the validity of the resulting analysis. By providing training on the methodology personnel should use to determine foreign language capability requirements, SOCOM would have greater assurance that its process is consistent and effective. In addition, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command and the Marine Forces Special Operations Command have not analyzed the relevancy of assigned foreign languages during deployments to inform future training needs. By periodically monitoring and assessing relevance in the countries to which they deploy, the Commands would be able to adjust foreign language training plans accordingly.
The Army and Marine Corps Special Operations Commands have issued foreign language proficiency and training standards and provided resources and incentives to improve foreign language skills. However, GAO found that from fiscal years 2018 through 2022, most Army and Marine Corps Special Operations Forces (SOF) units did not meet foreign language proficiency goals. According to select Army and Marine Corps personnel, not meeting minimum proficiency levels has had limited consequences on service members. This is due in part to a lack of consistent procedures that specify consequences when SOF personnel do not achieve minimum foreign language proficiency standards.
Further, less than half of SOF personnel completed any foreign language training, and the average number of annual sustainment training hours completed was much less than required due primarily to competing training demands and priorities.
Average Number of Annual Foreign Language Training Hours Completed by Army and Marine Corps SOF Service Members, Fiscal Years 2018–2022
The Army and Marine Corps Special Operations Commands have not held unit commanders accountable for monitoring whether SOF personnel complete annual foreign language training. By taking additional steps to ensure that unit commanders monitor and report whether SOF personnel are completing required annual foreign language training, the Commands would have greater assurance that SOF personnel and units are able to communicate with allies and partners.
Why GAO Did This Study
SOF play an integral part of activities carried out below the level of armed conflict. These activities often demand that SOF personnel be able to communicate in foreign languages when working with allies and partners.
House Report 117-118, accompanying a bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 includes a provision that GAO review SOF foreign language capabilities and training. GAO's report evaluates the extent to which (1) SOCOM determines SOF foreign language capability requirements and associated training needs; and (2) relevant SOF Service Components have established standards and monitor training efforts to sustain and enhance foreign language skills.
GAO analyzed documents and interviewed officials regarding SOCOM's foreign language requirements' process; reviewed applicable training programs; and analyzed SOF foreign language proficiency and training data for fiscal years 2018 through 2022.
Recommendations
GAO is making four recommendations to DOD to train personnel on how to determine SOF foreign language capability requirements; monitor the relevancy of assigned languages at deployment locations; establish and enforce consistent procedures that specify consequences when foreign language proficiency standards are not met; and hold unit commanders accountable for monitoring and reporting on completion of required foreign language training. DOD agreed with GAO's recommendations.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in coordination with SOCOM, develops and administers training for TSOC planners on the methodology they should use to determine their foreign language capability requirements. (Recommendation 1) |
DOD agreed with this recommendation. According to documentation provided by DOD in July 2025, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (ASD SO/LIC) is undertaking a comprehensive study of Special Operations Forces' (SOF) foreign language requirements to assist the Joint Staff with their update to joint policy on foreign language capability requirements. The study is leveraging a military analysis framework and will (1) evaluate the current methods used to identify and fulfill foreign language needs and (2) provide actionable recommendations to ASD SO/LIC, the Joint Staff, and U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) for enhancing the existing process. The SOF Language Study, which DOD estimates will be completed by September 2025, will be a case study for the Joint Staff to review for implementation of similar processes across the joint force, according to DOD's documentation. In addition, upon completion of the SOF Language Study, the Joint Staff, in coordination with SOCOM and ASD SO/LIC will take further steps to develop and implement training for planners at the theater special operations commands (TSOCs) and the other combatant command staffs on how to use the new process for determining foreign language requirements. Officials expect that they will complete these actions by July 2026. By taking these actions, SOCOM, the TSOCs, and the combatant commands will have greater assurance that they have identified foreign language capability requirements using a consistent methodological approach, as GAO recommended in October 2023.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Commanders of the relevant SOF Service Component Commands with a foreign language training requirement, in coordination with SOCOM, 1) periodically monitor the extent to which foreign languages assigned to SOF service members are relevant in the countries to which SOF deploy and 2) use this information to assess foreign language training plans to ensure they meet current and future mission needs. (Recommendation 2) |
DOD agreed with this recommendation. According to documentation provided by DOD in July 2025, the U.S. Special Operations Command's (SOCOM) Foreign Language Office began collecting data in April 2025 from components within the U.S. Army Special Operations Command on topics that included the relevancy of assigned foreign languages to deployed locations, SOF personnel's usage of predominately spoken languages in deployed locations, and unit proficiency of predominately spoken languages and other assigned foreign languages. Upon completion of this effort, officials said that SOCOM will assign the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Service Component Commands with the responsibility to assess their current foreign language training plans and provide recommendations to address any identified gaps between SOF personnels' assigned foreign languages and the relevancy of those languages to deployed locations. The SOF Service Component Commands would be expected to identify and recommend any changes in policies and personnel management processes to improve alignment of their foreign language training programs to regions or countries to where SOF personnel are deployed beginning in October 2025, according to DOD's documentation. Officials expect the efforts to fully implement this recommendation will be completed by January 2026. By taking these actions, the SOF Service Component Commands with a foreign language training requirement would have more complete information that can inform foreign language training plans to meet future mission needs, as GAO recommended in October 2023.
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Commanders of the relevant SOF Service Component Commands with a foreign language training requirement establish and enforce consistent procedures that specify the consequences for SOF personnel that do not meet minimum foreign language proficiency standards. (Recommendation 3) |
DOD agreed with this recommendation. According to documentation provided by DOD in July 2025, U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Directive 350-17 is currently undergoing a review and update. Once the update is completed, SOCOM will review Special Operations Forces (SOF) personnels' compliance with any new foreign language proficiency requirements. SOCOM also plans to identify reasons why consequences for SOF personnel that do not meet minimum foreign language proficiency standards are not consistently applied across the SOF enterprise as part of an assessment report, and will include corrective actions, as necessary. Officials expect this recommendation to be fully implemented by March 2026. By taking additional steps to establish and enforce procedures that specify the consequences to SOF personnel when minimum foreign language proficiency standards are not being met, SOF formations and their respective units would be more likely to achieve their foreign language proficiency goal, as GAO recommended in October 2023
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| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Commanders of the relevant SOF Service Component Commands with a foreign language training requirement hold unit commanders accountable for monitoring and reporting quality information about the extent to which SOF personnel are completing required annual sustainment and enhancement training hours, including instances where a service member completes no hours of sustainment and enhancement training. (Recommendation 4) |
DOD agreed with this recommendation. According to documentation DOD provided in July 2025, the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Foreign Language Office is currently updating SOCOM Directive 350-17, to include the addition of reporting requirements for completion of annual foreign language sustainment and enhancement training hours. Officials said that the updated draft of SOCOM Directive 350-17 is undergoing further review at the combatant command level and estimated it will be finalized by November 2025. By ensuring that unit commanders monitor and report the extent to which SOF personnel are completing required foreign language sustainment and enhancement training hours, the Service Component Commands could clearly communicate to unit commanders and SOF personnel that completing sustainment and enhancement training is a priority. Command leadership would also have greater assurance that SOF personnel are achieving foreign language proficiency goals, as GAO recommended in October 2023.
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