How Do I Become a Cryptologic Technician?

A person who wants to become a cryptologic technician needs to have an aptitude for languages as well as excellent oral and communication skills. This is one of the careers in the United States Navy and people working in this capacity are trained as translators and interpreters. An individual interested in applying for this type of position must have a post-secondary degree in one or more foreign languages and are required to complete a screening test to measure their aptitude for learning other languages before they start undergoing military training in the specific language and technical training they will need to perform their duties.

An interest in languages is a necessity for a person who wants to work as a translator. Working for the U.S. military means that a person who wants to become a cryptologic technician must be well-versed in the languages that he or she is working with, as well as very precise when translating one language into another. This job involves operating recording and computer equipment, and the prospective cryptologic technician will need to feel comfortable with the technology used by the Navy for this purpose.

Enrolling in an undergraduate program majoring in a foreign language is a good starting point for an individual who wants to become a cryptologic technician. A degree program in modern languages allows students to learn a foreign language and the culture in different parts of the world. Students can begin learning Chinese, French, Japanese, German, Russian or Spanish. As a student works through the course requirements to obtain a degree, he or she will become familiar with the chosen language in spoken and written form. The learning done at the university will provide a good foundation for the next step to become a cryptologic technician.

All applicants to become a cryptologic technician are required to write a military screening test. The Defense Language Aptitude Battery is used to measure an applicant's ability to learn a foreign language. Test scores are used to determine which languages a recruit will be taught, as well as how long the course will last.

People who have set a goal to become a cryptologic technician are rated on their Defense Language Aptitude Battery results to determine which languages they will focus on for the military. Applicants who score at the highest levels on this screening test will learn Chinese, Japanese, Korean or Arabic.