CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – Depending on which theory or theology a person prescribes to, it is widely believed that mankind spoke the same language once; and then in an instant, or over a matter of years and migration, the language barrier grew.

While some of us will never have to venture outside of ourselves to learn a difficult language or attempt to speak a foreign tongue, in the delicate environment that is Baghdad, Soldiers serving in the U.S. Army are not afforded that same luxury.

Instead, the service members of units that pass through the Middle East learn the basics of Arabic and rely heavily on individuals who were born in the area and are adept at speaking both Arabic and English to work as translators.

Soldiers serving in the division operations section, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, have an especially fine group of Arabic-speaking linguists.

“We translate all of the reports, such as threat reports or things which are threatening to our troops outside (the wire) on their missions, intelligence reports and for any of the generals who need translation for any of their reports,” said Sania Khillah, a linguist from Kalamazoo, Mich., who currently serves in the operations section, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B.

Khillah, as with most linguists, was born outside the United States. She originally hails from Cairo, Egypt, where she lived until moving to Michigan several years ago. She has spent a great deal of her working life serving as a welfare system case worker before becoming a civilian contractor and working with the Army.

“I sought out this position through a family member who helps with the FBI,” Khillah said. “It's my native language, and when I found the opportunity, I came for it.”

The Ironhorse Soldiers who work with the linguists are glad that she and the six other linguists she works with in the section made the decision to support the cause.

“What a lot of people don't realize with the documents we produce is that when you write something, it's not like you can just change the font, re-type it and it comes up in Arabic or any other language for that matter,” said Sgt. Maj. James Shilling, a native of both Clare and Hancock, Mich., who serves as the senior enlisted leader of the operations section, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B

“There's a lot of words that don't do a direct translation,” he explained. “There is no correlation between this English word or that Arabic word. What you have are thoughts and concepts that (translators) have to be able to understand, and then what they do is translate that concept for us.”

Adding to the difficulties that the linguists face is the world of military jargon, where acronyms and abbreviations reign supreme in everyday communication.

“Every day we get new acronyms, and we don't explain what those mean from our side,” said Nabil Abdulahad Isho, another of the section’s linguists, originally from northern Iraq who, for nearly 30 years, has called Macomb Township, Mich., home. “We have to know what the acronyms mean before we can do anything.”
Isho elaborated by saying that if he or the other linguists don’t know what an acronym stands for, their work can reach a stalemate until they can find out what it means.

Helping with issues like these and aiding the cause of the linguists and ensuring that all of their needs are met, the division operations section provides a liaison to act as the go-between for them and the servicemembers they work for.

“Looking at an average week, they deal with almost 300 hours of translation, which is a lot, and that's 300 hours of straight translation with minimal breaks,” said Sgt. 1st Class Kevin Burgin, a native of Atlanta, Texas, who serves as that liaison and as the noncommissioned officer in charge of the administrative office, division operations section, 4th Inf. Div.

Even with Burgin looking out for them, and the support they get from each other and the division, translation workload can be fast-paced and is ever-increasing.

“In the future, we will not be able to arrest anybody for any crime outside the wire, or anybody within this country, without a warrant,” said Sgt. Paul Slater, a native of Houston, who serves as an aid and the driver for Col. James Rainey, the officer in charge of the operations section, 4th Inf. Div. “That is causing a lot more projects, a lot more translating to come down the pipeline, but they continue to just keep going to make sure that their job gets completed thoroughly,” Slater added.

Although the increasing expectations placed on them can sometimes be a little unrealistic, as it is not widely understood how difficult written translation from Arabic to English can be, the group presses on and does their job well.

“They think we are translating machines I guess,” Khillah said, with a smile and a chuckle. She went on to say that she doesn't see any hardship with doing her job and she is glad to be helping the troops and the Army accomplish their mission.

Whatever the circumstances that brought the linguists to work for the Army, Shilling, Burgin and Slater are glad to have them and consider them a part of their Mission, Soldiers, Family and Team.

“It's a challenge to find qualified linguists, but what they do is very vital,” said Shilling. “If they take a concept, something that we produce in this headquarters that we want either the Iraqi Police, the National Police or the Iraqi Army to execute, and they mistranslate it into Arabic, we could actually have them (IP, NP, IA) doing the wrong thing. That's why their job is extremely vital.”

“There are not a lot of linguists who can do what they do,” added Burgin. “It takes a very unique person. You have to have computer skills, translate from Arabic to English and English to Arabic, and know both languages really well.”

Slater took a more sentimental approach to describe the linguists, who he considers friends and, more importantly, Family.

“These linguists are very, very important to us,” he said. “As long as we keep appreciating them and trying to intertwine them into our Family that we've built here, I think that Alpha Company, (Division Special Troops Battalion, 4th Inf. Div.) will be a better unit, especially within the (division operations section).”

Sentiments and appreciation like that, along with the knowledge of how important their job is to the division, are what drive Khillah, Isho and their peers.

“It gives me self-fulfillment by knowing that I helped get somebody who was a terrorist,” Khillah said.

While the mutual appreciation and warm feelings are felt and not lost by the linguists or the Soldiers, Khillah and Isho were both quick to point out that the first and foremost reason the linguists choose to serve here is because of the Soldiers.

“I always say a prayer for them every day when I see them going through with their missions," Khillah said. "When I see them getting into the humvees, I always pray for every individual. Even though I don't know every single one of them, I keep praying for them, and I will continue praying for them until they get home safely and have accomplished their mission.”

“I will always tell the troops: 'Please be careful, be safe and come back home safe. Don't do anything that will jeopardize your safety as your safety is more important than anything,’” Isho said. He went on to express his desire that Americans continue to support the troops and their Families no matter what each citizen’s personal thoughts on the war may be.

Although many things about this war, its participants and its politics have been widely debated and not always fully understood, the linguists and the Soldiers they support realize the value of their mission and execute it seamlessly. Day in and day out, they stay “Steadfast and Loyal” to their duties and tirelessly press forward to help this war-torn country and its impoverished people stand on their feet again.

“They work hard and no matter what the mission is; they're there and very committed,” said Burgin, in expressing his gratitude for the linguist’s efforts and hard work.

It is this level of commitment and dedication that helps prevent the Ironhorse Division, its leaders and its Soldiers, as well as the Iraqi people, from becoming lost in translation.