The Foreign Service Journal, April 2020

54 APRIL 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL display a legendary professionalism and dedication to duty. For this reason, they have been entrusted with vital security assign- ments that range from securing Buckingham Palace in England to safeguarding the 2018 North Korea–United States Summit in Singapore, to name but two examples. From a security standpoint, the fact that the Gurkha sol- diers communicate with each other in their native Nepali, a little-known language, is a plus: Their exchanges are not easily picked up by locals, and secrecy can be maintained. At the same time, because English is their second language, most of the Gurkha soldiers struggle when it comes to communicating professionally in English. The caution they take while exchanging information is proof of how careful they are while discharging their duties. They are very mindful of the consequences of miscom- munication in as intensely perplexing a place as Kabul. “English for Work” Recognizing the signifi- cance of the challenges the Gurkhas face, Diplomatic Security’s Regional Security Office in Kabul initiated an “English for Work” program for GGF personnel in June 2018. Since the program also entails techniques of deadly force use, it was designed exclusively for members of the GGF (local-hire Afghans do not handle weapons). Its aim is to ensure clear, detailed and unambiguous communication when it comes to strategizing ideas in the battlefield. The English for Work program, which runs as a supplement to the mandatory dedicated training for at least three months annually, is intense; and GGF personnel are required to pass the final exam to continue with their employment. The training includes discussions, presentations, roleplay, workshops and The Gurkha Guard Force at the first session of the “English for Work” program in Kabul, June 2018. An English for Work class at Camp Seitz in Kabul. U.S.EMBASSYKABUL U.S.EMBASSYKABUL