The report, from the General Accounting Office to the chairman of the Senate's committee on appropriations, responds to a request for review of Department of Defense (DOD) training of linguists engaged in intelligence-related activities. It summarizes its examination of: (1) the language and technical training provided to DOD linguistics; and (2) DOD and military service policies and procedures governing management, training, and compensation of the linguist workforce. The analysis found that a significant number of linguists, about one-third, are graduating from the Defense Language Institute (DLI) without having attained the minimum language proficiency desired, at level 2, despite an overall rise in the proportion attaining this level. In addition, the military services routinely allow students not attaining this level to proceed to technical school, the next training phase. Linguists experience a decline in language proficiency, commonly as much as 25 percent, during this phase, and not all regain it. Unit-level language maintenance programs are not required, although some exist. Military service policies and procedures regarding use of language proficiency standards as a basis for compensation are found to be inconsistent. Two DOD language training schools do not coordinate commercial language courses, resulting in inefficient instruction. DOD language program information is appended. (MSE)