text: Language Support Considerations
  CONTRACT LINGUISTS
  E-20. U.S. civilians can be contracted to provide linguist support. They have an advantage over local-national
  hires because their loyalty to the United States is more readily evaluated and it is easier for them to be granted
  the necessary security clearance. However, there are usually severe limitations on the deployment and use of
  civilians. A careful assessment of their language ability is important because they may use outdated terms or
  interject U.S. idioms. If the linguists are recent immigrants, the use of the language in their country of origin
  could be dangerous to them; similarly, their loyalty may reside with their country of origin, religious group,
  tribal affiliation, or other close connections when the interests of these groups are at odds with U.S. interests.
  E-21. Local-national hires often provide the bulk of linguist support. They are usually less expensive to hire
  than U.S. civilians and know the local dialect, idioms, and culture. The expertise of these linguists in
  particular areas or subject matters can be an asset.
  E-22. All commands must comply with the CI screening policy for contract linguist support. CI screenings
  may be performed by the hiring agency within the joint operations area or by CI personnel, who also screen
  contract linguists periodically throughout their employment.
  E-23. When requesting civilian contract linguists, the commander and staff must identify requirements by
  category:
  ⚫ Category I linguists are locally hired personnel with an understanding of the English language.
  They undergo a limited screening, are hired in-theater, do not possess a security clearance, and
  are used for unclassified work. During most operations, category I linguists must be rescreened on a
  scheduled basis. Category I linguists cannot be used for intelligence operations:
  ▪ Advantages: Category I linguists—
  o Have the best knowledge of the local area such as terrain and familiarity of the local
  populace.
  o Are native speakers of the target language and can normally communicate more
  fluently with the local populace.
  o Usually have a more thorough understanding of the interactions of the various local
  population groups.
  ▪ Disadvantages: Category I linguists—
  o Can be a risk to OPSEC.
  o Have loyalties that may align more with the local populace or the threat than with the
  United States.
  o Do not possess a security clearance and cannot be involved in sensitive missions
  requiring one.
  o May also be under direct physical threat by the local populace or threat for appearing to
  collaborate with U.S. forces.
  o May not be as fluent in the English language as category II or III linguists.
  o Who are typically local hires, may more closely associate with one or more indigenous
  groups, which may or may not be friendly toward the United States.
  ⚫ Category II linguists are U.S. citizens who have native command of the target language and
  near-native command of the English language. They undergo a screening process that includes a
  national agency check. Upon favorable findings, category II linguists are granted a Secret
  Collateral clearance.
  ▪ Advantages: Category II linguists—
  o Are normally U.S. citizens or military members who have been granted a Secret
  security clearance, which is the minimum acceptable clearance for CI and HUMINT
  collection.
  o Are normally fluent in both English and the target language, may hold a Secret security
  clearance, and can be used on missions requiring one. Their loyalties align with the
  United States more than with the local populace.