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Student Handbook Defense Language Institute English Language Center, Student Handbook – Web Version TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome to the Defense Language Institute English Language Center, better known as DLI or DLIELC. This handbook will help you prepare for your stay at Lackland Air Force Base by providing you with necessary information to successfully complete your training. For many of our students this is their first stop in the United States (US) and it is important to know what is expected of you. This handbook is your first tool to help you adjust to military training in America. If you do not fully understand any of the information in this handbook, please ask questions during your in-processing briefings that occur upon your arrival.
The Defense Language Institute English Language Center is a world-renowned institution in the field of English language training. Our mission is to teach, monitor, and conduct defense English language programs. This includes all programs for US Armed Forces and for international military, funded through the Security Assistance program. We provide English language training to students sponsored by the US Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps
US military training and professional education courses are challenging. Therefore, each student must be able to speak and understand the English language in order to successfully complete his or her training. Each year, approximately one-third of the international students who come to the US for training start their journey at DLI. Their first step is to study English and improve their English ability, or to learn to be English instructors or school administrators. Students are immersed in an English-only environment from the very first day
DLI is a Gateway to America. An average of 600 students from over 90 different countries are in residence every day. The student body can reach up to 1,000 students, depending on the world situation. It is estimated that, on any given day, another 50,000 military students are in classrooms throughout the world studying this institute's American Language Course. Some important items will be discussed below to ease your transition at DLI. They are: arriving, documents, money, quarters, additional transportation, climate, and medical care. By taking time to complete certain actions before departing your country, your first weeks here will be more pleasant. Students will arrive at San Antonio International Airport (airport code is SAT). Upon arrival, transportation is provided by DLIELC, also known as “DLI”. After picking up their luggage, students desiring transportation from the airport should find the DLI telephone located at Terminal 1 or Terminal 2. Terminal 1 DLI phone directions: Exit the security check point and take escalators/stairs down to baggage claim area. At the bottom of the escalators/stairs students will find public telephones. Students need to look for the phone with signs indicating “DLI” or “DLIELC” and the DLI symbol. The DLI telephone is a direct line and is free of charge. Once contacted, DLI staff will ask students to wait either at the Terminal 1 baggage claim area by the DLI phone or Terminal 2 waiting area. Terminal 2 DLI phone directions: Exit the security check point and student will see a waiting room just past the exit to the right. A small waiting area is provided that can be identified by the “DLI” or “DLIELC” signs. A phone inside the waiting area will connect student directly to DLI staff who will arrange for pick up. Students will be asked to stay in the waiting area until DLI staff arrive for pick up. Students SHOULD NOT go to USO in Terminal 2 unless they cannot find the DLI phone. DLI staff can also be contacted at 210-671-2929. Local phone cost is 50 cents. Military transportation of dependents is on a space available basis only. Wait time for pick-up is between 30-50 minutes depending traffic and weather. Students arriving after midnight on Friday, Saturday or Sunday can expect a delay of 60-90 minutes. Shuttle bus service is available from the airport direct to DLIELC at the following times: 0500, 0800, 1300, 1800, and 2300. Shuttle bus service is located outside Terminal 2, past the baggage claim area. Students are asked to look for shuttle bus signs indicating “LACKLAND AFB”. Taxi cabs are also available ($50.00 for 1-4 people) but you may present your receipt to the finance office for reimbursement if you receive funds from IMET (US Govt). Public transportation (bus) in the U.S. is generally not practical for reporting to class.
IMET students should be briefed that their return transportation, as authorized on their ITO, will be scheduled by the local travel office using the most direct, efficient rate, on a U.S. flag carrier to the fullest extent possible. Sometimes students and dependents arrive with roundtrip tickets on foreign carriers, which cannot be exchanged. This can cause problems for the students and families. It is recommended that the student not purchase roundtrip tickets for dependents before departure from home country without considering the rules governing the purchase of return transportation, i.e, American flag carrier limitations.
. Bring multiple copies of your invitational travel orders (ITO), your passport and visa, and any medical documents with appropriate translations in English. Your invitational travel order is the official document for controlling all your training and entitlements while you are in the US. Ensure that it reflects all the training you expect to receive, identifies the periods of authorized travel and authorization for leave, lists all the family members authorized to accompany you, any additional pay entitlements, and baggage limits. Your invitational travel orders should also identify passport and visa requirements. Visas govern your entry into the US as long as you stay in the US. It should not expire until after you complete all training listed on your invitational travel orders. If you’re bringing dependents, you may need to have immunization and academic history records to enroll children in school. All
questions regarding the money you will need while in the US should be taken care
of before leaving your country. At DLI there are approximately 500-700
students at any one time and no accommodations are made for students’
children. If you are considering bringing your family, you will be
responsible for their needs and should understand what the extra costs are.
Make sure you have enough money with you to cover the cost of getting settled
and living for the first month. How much you need is directly related to
your decision concerning your family. (The information given here will
supplement, not replace, the briefing you should receive from official US
embassy representatives in your country. If you have not already received
such a briefing, make arrangements to receive one before you leave your
country). You will be provided a place to live on base near the classroom building for less than $30 per night for officer and enlisted rooms. Suites are limited and available for General Officers. If you bring children, you will not be assigned quarters on base. Temporary family quarters are not available. DLI does not reserve family quarters. On base, you can purchase your own meals at the international dining facility, the Amigo Inn, which is located next to the classroom building. Meals are inexpensive, usually between $2 and $3. Students who have their own transportation may choose to eat at nearby restaurants. Students who bring their families must plan for complete living expenses in the local community. If you bring children, expect to spend several nights in a motel before moving to an apartment. For a family of three to five, a motel room will cost from $50 to $100 per day. A variety of restaurants are available in the city if you have transportation, but expect to spend about $20 per person per day for three simple meals. A typical two-bedroom, furnished apartment rents for approximately $700 or more per month. There is usually an additional charge if the rent is not paid by the fifth of each month. You will probably be asked to sign a lease and pay the first and last months' rent at the time you move in. You will usually be required to pay a "security" or "damage deposit" of $150 to $250 at the time you move in. In addition, you may be asked to pay a "cleaning deposit" of $50 to $100 or more at the same time. If the apartment is left clean to the satisfaction of the owners and there is no damage at the time you leave, you may receive all or a portion of these deposits back depending on the leasing agent’s rules. Before you sign a lease, we strongly urge you discuss it with a Military Training Manager at Lackland. In
addition to renting an apartment, you can also expect to pay for the utilities,
such as electricity, gas, water, sewer, trash collection, telephone, and
cable/satellite television. In some cases these extra costs may be
included in your rent. Most utility companies require a down payment or
deposit before starting the service. You are billed monthly based on
utility usage. For example, average electricity costs for a two-bedroom
apartment could cost $60-$100 per month. Telephones are not included in
the rent. Service connection charges vary, depending on the number of
phones and type of service you desire. Expect to pay a $40-$75
installation phone charge. In addition, the telephone company requires a
deposit of about $75. After the phone is connected, you can expect to pay
a monthly service charge of around $35-$40, with additional charges for long
distance service. Transportation to the base is another expense. Additional
Transportation Around San Antonio
Taxis
in San Antonio have varying rates and the distance from the airport to the
Lackland area is about 19 miles. You may spend from $20-30 for a one-way
trip. City bus service is available in most parts of the city, but there
is no scheduled service from the airport to Lackland. Although the city
bus does not come on the base, you may walk a short distance off base and catch
the bus to parts of the city. There are many rental car agencies in the
city. To rent a vehicle, you must have a valid driver's license and a
nationally accepted credit card. Rates vary by company and will depend on
the type of car you rent, but the least expensive car may cost $150 to $200 per
week. You must pay for your own gas. You may choose to lease a car.
This will likely cost $500 per month and higher. In addition, you may have
to pay for excessive mileage. Leasing differs from renting by the length
of the contract. A rental car may be returned at any time. Most
leasing contracts require a minimum of three months in duration. Leased
cars also require the purchase of insurance. Medical
Care
Before
your arrival, you must understand who will pay for your medical bills and your
family’s medical bills while in the US. With students from over 90
countries each year requiring different medical needs, it is impractical to
describe each of your medical benefits and possible charges. Limited
medical care is available to military service members at Lackland; however,
dependents may have to be treated in off-base health care facilities at your
expense. It is strongly encouraged that you understand and make
arrangements for health care insurance and ensure you have an agreement with
your government to cover the expenses in cases where you are responsible for the
charges. Climate
and Weather
San Antonio has a modified subtropical climate and is located on the edge of the Gulf Coastal Plains. Summer is often hot but rarely over 100° Fahrenheit (38° Celsius). Below freezing temperatures occur only about 20 days each year during winter months. Humidity varies from an average of 80% in the early morning to an afternoon level of 50%. The average annual rainfall is 27 inches, and the average daily temperature is 70° Fahrenheit (21° Celsius) varying from 43° Fahrenheit (6° Celsius) to 95° Fahrenheit (35° Celsius). STEP TWO – ARRIVAL AND IN-PROCESSING You
must attend the in-processing briefing immediately following
arrival during which you will have an opportunity to meet the US personnel
responsible for your training at DLI. During
your stay at DLI you will be responsible for the information provided in these
briefings and the information printed in this handbook.
Failure
to follow recommended procedures and information may result in academic or
discipline problems. A sample schedule of briefings is provided below: ·
Thursday:
Commandant,
Dean of Academics, Operations Squadron Commander, Country Program Managers,
Lodging Manager, Informational Programs, Identification Cards, English
Comprehension Level Orientation, Traffic Safety. ·
Friday:
Disciplinary
Issues, Military Training Managers, Identification Card Issue, Class Assignment. ·
Monday:
First day of classes and Finance (paychecks) orientation. If your
monthly paycheck comes through DLI, you will need to bring the following items
to the finance briefing. 1.
Copy
of your Invitation Travel Order 2.
All Travel / Transportation / Airline Ticket Receipts 3.
Post Office Box Number 4.
Detailed Lodging Report (request from International Student Quarters lodging
when you check-in) 5.
Identification Card (if already issued) ·
Tuesday: English
Comprehension Level test. You will take the computer-assisted English
Comprehension Level test to verify your English Comprehension Level. Here
at DLI, the curriculum is divided into three academic areas:
General English,
Specialized English, and Instructor
Development.
If you are here for
General
English, you will practice all the
basic English skills as you study DLI’s American Language Course. You will learn the essentials of conversational English
and are advanced on the basis of your individual progress. Additionally, non-native English speaking US Army personnel complete the
General English course before moving on to follow-on training. If you come to DLI for Specialized English, you will be trained in over thirty different specialty areas. We do not teach technical subject material but provide a solid understanding of the words and phrases that you will encounter in your particular follow-on training courses. We teach and improve the academic skills that will be expected of you in US military classrooms. The
most advanced and demanding of the international programs is found in the
Instructor
Development branch.
If you are
here for Instructor Development, you will become more familiar with DLI’s
American Language Course as you prepare to be an instructor or manager of an
English language program. Instructor
Development courses vary in length from several weeks to six months and involve
studies in English language structure, speaking and writing, teaching and
management methods, and American culture. At
DLI, we have combined educational expertise with
the latest in teaching technologies. Computer-based
instruction is an integral part of our curriculum. In each of the academic areas, interactive video language lessons are
used to enhance learning. You will
use computers to write and revise papers and generate visual aids for classroom
presentations. We are also taking
advantage of emerging technologies by implementing
computer-adaptive testing and computer-delivered testing. In addition, closed-circuit television broadcasts are available through
the DLI broadcasting system. Televisions
in each classroom and in each billeting room provide easy access to the
programs, which include DLI-produced videos and other language-appropriate
broadcasts. After
class, you can also continue your studies independently. Our state-of-the-art
learning resource center offers thirty-nine multimedia positions, as well as
many audio and television stations. Learning
center instructors can guide you in using a wide variety of local and
commercially produced audio, video, and CD-ROM programs. Included in the learning resource center is our
library for you to conduct research and borrow books or
audiotapes for self-study. Tours
Equally important to our mission
is the DLI
Informational Program, which helps you increase
your cultural awareness and language proficiency. Through a variety of activities, which promote community
interaction, you may acquire a balanced understanding of US society,
institutions, freedoms, and ideals. These
activities include tours in and around San Antonio, Austin, and Washington, DC.
You will also have an opportunity to build friendships and further your
understanding of American life as you take part in DLI’s sponsorship program
known as AMIGO. The AMIGO program organized through the tour office will
allow you to meet American families and make friends. Events and activities are planned each month to encourage
making contact with DLI’s family of friends.
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