R 222026Z DEC 08
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 726/08
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC I(UC)/F002//
SUBJ/MARINE CORPS LANGUAGE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR AWARD//
POC/KAUFFMAN, C. L. /CAPT/UNIT:WASHINGTON DC IOP/NAME:HQMC /TEL:DSN  224-3938//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THIS MARADMIN ANNOUNCES THE SELECTION OF THE 2008 MARINE CORPS LANGUAGE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR.  NOMINATIONS WERE OPEN TO ACTIVE DUTY AND RESERVE MARINES WITH AN MOS OF 02XX, 26XX, OR 2799.  A PANEL OF SENIOR LANGUAGE PROFESSIONALS SELECTED THE WINNER FROM NOMINATIONS SUBMITTED FROM THROUGHOUT THE MARINE CORPS.  THIS YEAR'S WINNER IS CORPORAL JAYME L. ODOM (PMOS 2671), CURRENTLY SERVING WITH 2D RADIO BN, MNF-W AND PROVIDING LINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE AND OUTSTANDING SUPPORT TO THE OPERATING FORCES.
2. CORPORAL ODOM WAS SELECTED AS THE LINGUIST OF THE YEAR FOR HER SUPERIOR ARABIC LINGUISTIC CAPABILITIES AND CONTRIBUTIONS DURING COMBAT OPERATIONS IN IRAQ THROUGH TWO DEPLOYMENTS DURING THIS PAST YEAR.  CORPORAL ODOM'S LINGUISTIC SKILLS AND LEADERSHIP WERE CRITICAL TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTELLIGENCE REPORTS, TRANSLATING BOTH AUDIO AND WRITTEN MATERIALS WITH IMPRESSIVE ACCURACY.  CORPORAL ODOM'S LANGUAGE AND CULTURE SKILLS WERE ALSO INSTRUMENTAL TO INTERPRETER DUTIES FOR WHICH SHE VOLUNTEERED DURING MEDICAL AND CIVIL AFFAIRS OPERATIONS THROUGHOUT AL ANBAR PROVINCE. 
3. CONGRATULATIONS TO CORPORAL ODOM FOR HER DISTINGUISHED SERVICE, DEDICATION TO MISSION, AND SUPERIOR LINGUISTIC SKILLS. HER COMMITMENT TO DEVELOPING BOTH HER OWN LANGUAGE SKILLS AND THOSE OF THE MARINES UNDER HER CHARGE, CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO SUCCESSFUL MARINE CORPS COMBAT OPERATIONS IN THE AL ANBAR PROVINCE.  CORPORAL ODOM WILL BE THE MARINE CORPS NOMINATEE FOR CONSIDERATION AS THE 2008 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE LINGUIST OF THE YEAR. 
4.  THE SERVICE AND DOD LANGUAGE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR WINNERS WILL BE RECOGNIZED AT THE COMMAND LANGUAGE PROGRAM MANAGERS CONFERENCE IN MONTEREY, CA FROM 5 - 7 MAY 2009.
5.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY BRIGADIER GENERAL R.M. LAKE, USMC DIRECTOR OF INTELLIGENCE.//