A Pictorial History of DLIFLC

In 2011, on behalf of the Commandant, Col. Danial D. Pick, and to help celebrate the Institute’s 70th Anniversary, historian Cameron Binkley researched and wrote A Pictorial History of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center.

According to Colonel Pick, “No single work so succinctly and colorfully describes the development of DLIFLC throughout the decades since its inception.”

Intended for a wide audience, the pictorial history uses photographs, maps, drawings, and other documents to trace the history of the Institute from its origins before World War II until today.  The work charts changes in mission and geographic focus, organizational structure, and technical and curricular innovation reflecting larger changes in U.S. foreign policy, global security affairs, and educational trends.  “It brings to life,” said Pick, “the wonderful faculty, staff, and students who have served this nation in times of peace and war.”

The Pictorial History (available in PDF only) includes a brief overview followed by eight chapters that outline the development and evolution of the Institute and its predecessors using archival images and brief narrative captions.

The entire book can be downloaded for free by clicking the picture or the link above.