Fluent Forces Act

The Fluent Forces Act seeks to strengthen the United States' national security by improving the language proficiency and readiness of its Armed Forces. Congress recognizes that fluency in foreign languages and cultures is a critical component of successful foreign policy, military strategy, and intelligence gathering, as demonstrated by historical conflicts and ongoing global challenges. The bill emphasizes the indispensable role of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) in providing culturally based foreign language education and training to military personnel. To achieve its objectives, the legislation requires the Secretary of Defense to submit annual assessments to Congress, from 2025 through 2030, focusing on recruiting methods for the DLIFLC. These assessments must identify the public and private secondary schools engaged by military recruiters, track the number of recruits who enroll in the DLIFLC, and pinpoint challenges hindering recruitment efforts. Furthermore, the Secretary must provide recommendations for new recruitment strategies to increase awareness of linguist professions within the U.S. Armed Forces and other government agencies, along with plans from each military department for implementing these recommendations and measurable benchmarks for progress.