MILITARY
MULTI-NATIONAL FORCES-IRAQ
Baghdad, Camp Victory, Science and Technology Advisor:
- “We have tested the three newest Phraselator–type devices. Of the three we tested, the P2 was the one best understood by the Iraqi people. The other two systems translated phrases into Arabic, which was understood, but the P2 translated phrases with the Iraqi dialect, which proved to easier for the Iraqis to understand. The P2 was also the simplest to use. Soldiers figured out how to use it within one or two minutes of picking it up.”
U.S. ARMY
Special Forces Operations NCOIC:
- “What a great machine. I used the debriefing aid to interrogate former Iraqi intelligence officials. I used it a lot with teenagers and civilians to determine when and where the enemy went. I was able to use the device to get exact information on a huge weapons cache and where unexploded ordinance was.”
- “And best of all, as a Special Forces Soldier, I was able to use the device to build rapport with the people of Iraq.”
- “This device was invaluable, and it assisted in protecting the team.”
C Company FSB, Capt. TF 187-626 (excerpt from video clip taken in Afghanistan):
- “I can’t go into detail about my job, but I can tell you it puts me in a semi-compromising situation. There’s no security and I have to communicate with the females and children. I can communicate with female patients who normally have never seen a doctor (most of these women and children have never ever seen a doctor or any health care provider). I’m actually an emergency medicine PA—but to them it’s the greatest thing in the world. It’s not a great thing if I can’t communicate, and [with the Phraselator] they know that they can talk to me and I can talk to them. Awesome, awesome, great tool.”
- “It’s [Phraselator] been on a vehicle; it’s been a vehicle—it’s been through some situations that are kind of hard to explain. It’s been an invaluable tool, at least for me. I can honestly say that at least twice we’ve been in very compromising situations and it means a lot, not only to our command…I’ve got five kids I want to go home to, and this might help; this and the 9 mil.”
Fort Bragg Science Advisor to the XVIII ABN Corps & Ft Bragg:
- “The Phraselator provides an easy-to-use language translation capability in the field environment; is (relatively) low cost, light weight, portable; and enhances verbal commands/communication with a non-English speaking population. The internal removable card provides the user with great flexibility in replacing language modules. I have also found the company, Voxtec, highly eager to create new, mission-specific phrase modules upon request of soldiers.”
U.S. MARINE CORPS
I MEF, Deputy Operational Manager, LASER:
- “I have had great success with the improved capabilities and functionality of the P2 version of the Phraselator. It is obvious that the developers paid attention to user comments about the older versions of the Phraselator.” In a recent test at I MEF the P2 fared very well…We look forward to observations from the field.”
II MEF Phraselator P2 Assessment, GS15:
- “In the instances when the CI/Humint units were able to use the Phraselators while in Iraq, they performed extremely well! The Phraselator's vocabulary listing was used to supplement their own knowledge of the Arabic language, and to offer options in language usage.”
PACOM civil military branch:
- “It [Phraselator] was very useful when we had to direct people who had come to our aid station for medical assistance.” “There were so many of them and we used them to tell where to go. It also was invaluable in asking simple questions like 'Where does it hurt'”
U.S. NAVY
Naval Special Warfare Command, USS Enterprise (excerpt from email):
- “Additionally, Ltjg Alexander Moir of Uss Enterprise, the Entstrkgru point of contact on Phraselators, was called to use a Phraselator late one night during Enterprise’s 2003-2004 deployment. An Iraqi merchant sailor had seriously injured himself onboard his vessel and, having limited or no medical facilities there, the vessel radioed Enterprise who transported him aboard via helicopter for treatment. Upon arrival it was discovered that the sailor did not speak any English, and the commanding officer of Enterprise called for use of the Phraselator. Ltjg Moir arrived with the unit and began retrieving phrases in Arabic at the behest of the Medical Personnel. Questions asked included whether he was on medication, where he was injured, if he smoked, what his name was and about half a dozen others. The Phraselator allowed the patient to receive preliminary assistance until an Arabic speaker could be located. The effort, hailed as a minor but important gesture of cooperation and goodwill between the U.S. and the Iraqi people, received accolades from the Enterprise’s Commanding Officer and medical staff, and marked the first operational use of the Phraselator device aboard Enterprise itself.”
LAW ENFORCEMENT & CORRECTIONS
GENERAL APPLICATIONS
Erwin, Tennessee, Unicoi County Sheriff’s Department, Sheriff Kent Harris:
- “It's (Phraselator® P2) got many different uses that I can see. It's just really unlimited what you can do. I know it'll be utilized.”
Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Captain Dennis Kato:
- “It is not quite like that translator thing on 'Star Trek.' It's a step or two away. But when it comes to crowd control, natural disasters or medical emergencies, it can be a lifesaver.”
Springfield, Ohio, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Gene Kelly:
- “I’ve taken an oath to serve and protect all in my county. That means everyone. The P2 will help me maintain this oath.”
New York State, Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, Undersheriff M. Peter Paravati:
- “This equipment will expedite life-saving response to all Oneida county residents through our highway patrol, which covers all parts of the county. We’re actively pursuing funding of additional units.”
CROWD CONTROL APPLICATIONS
Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Incident Management & Training Bureau, Deputy Chief Mike Hillmann:
- “The ability for public safety agencies to communicate with various cultures is critical. The Phraselator has been useful in assisting with crowd management operations.”
Howard County, Maryland, Police Department, Captain Robert Baldwin:
- “When command language is all that is needed, these things rule.”
CORRECTIONAL APPLICATIONS
Lee County, Florida, Sheriff's Office, Captain Tom Eberhardt:
- “We anticipate the Phraselator will result in less use of force" in detention facilities. If an inmate doesn’t understand you, the situation can escalate.”
PATROL APPLICATIONS
Erwin, Tennessee, Unicoi County Sheriff’s Department, Major Ronnie Adkins:
- “Very often on a traffic stop, we'll encounter a Spanish-speaking individual who speaks no English at all. This instrument will remove that barrier and allow the officer to do his job and allow the person who is pulled over to understand what is happening. I think it'll reduce the threat level for the person that's pulled over and even the fear level because they'll be able to understand what exactly is going on during a traffic stop... It's good for medical emergencies. It also may mean the difference between life and death by getting some questions answered in a medical emergency that otherwise you wouldn't be able to ask or get an answer to.”
Excerpts from Police Officer (user) E-mails:
- “I stopped a couple of guys for drinking in public and ran them through the paces with the machine [Phraselator P2]. When I asked for a driver's license from one with the machine he looked at me and shook his head that he didn't have one. I then asked him to provide an alternate source of identification and he handed me his Mexican Army ID card.”
- “I pulled over a car and walked up to the door and asked for the operator's driver's license and registration. He looked at me and smugly said "No habla anglais. I whipped out the handy P2 and asked him in Spanish for his license. He visibly shrunk in his seat when he realized my inability to speak Spanish wasn't going to save him. Long story short, he had no Operator's license, the temporary tags on the car were forged, the car was improperly registered, he had no insurance, and the state inspection sticker was bogus. It was not his night. The phrase "You may not operate this vehicle any further" was very handy and I used it several times with this guy.”
Burnsville, MN Police Department - Excerpts from Thisweek Newspapers:
Burnsville police officer Dave McCabe recently pulled a man over for a traffic violation.
Attempts at normal conversation were futile. The man was Hispanic and spoke no English.
McCabe went to his car and got the Phraselator. He spoke simple phrases into the device, which translated them into Spanish and relayed them through a speaker.
The surprised man grinned and laughed in appreciation, McCabe said. “It eliminates a lot of confusion,” McCabe said. “It eliminates a lot of fear.”
Excerpts from USA TODAY.com:
Before the department started using a "phraselator" a few weeks ago, officers had waited anywhere from a few minutes to hours to find the right translator.
- “It can play a key role in how an investigation concludes,” said Sgt. Brad Leach.
Officers recently used the device to explain to a Spanish speaker that her car had to be towed because it was in a heavy traffic lane. Another officer used the translator to explain in Spanish that a motorist had to appear in court.
- “If we're able to break down the barriers, it's going to help everyone involved,” Leach said.
CONSTRUCTION
Hagerstown, MD, Director of Safety and Water Intrusion for K Hovnonian Family of Homebuilders, Gregory Ricker:
- Gregory Ricker, who implemented the Phraselator P2 in his Maryland division last summer, says “The Phraselator P2 is helping us bridge the communication gap and keep workers safe. It was priceless in this particular emergency and contributed to getting the worker immediate medical attention.”
Construction superintendent:
- “Safety on the jobsite is my first priority. The Phraselator allows me to quickly remind my crew about safety reg's, and also point out potential violations before someone gets hurt.”
NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION
Customer testimonials about the Phraselator® Language Companion™ (PLC), which is developed and manufactured by Voxtec International.
- “After I played with it I cried. This will help save our language.”
- Jane Dumas, Kumeyaay Elder - “This toy is great. Anything that gets our children to learn the language is good. We will use every idea, everything technology old and new that appeals to our children to teach the language.”
- Chad Smith, Tribal Chairman of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma - “I hope the language tool will help create fluent speakers and the languages of the Cheyenne and Arapaho won't be lost in translation.”
- Quinton Roman Nose, Director of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Education Department - “I have been waiting for such a tool all my life. Phraselator LC is what I need.”
- Terry Brockie, Gros Vente Language Teacher - “It is a great tool that can give us our whole world in our hand.”
- Ken Tuffy Helpeson, Nakota Language Teacher - “I think it is a great and awesome tool. Like our tradition, it orally teaches people who want to learn the language.”
- Carlene Bear Chief, Siksika Nation High School - “This is a very interesting tool with tremendous potential. It has the ability to focus on our language and how precise it is.”
- Keith Weasel Head, Kainai Board of Education - “This is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen in my life! It’s just like Star Trek.”
- Morongo Youth
