| Amazing that in this day and age of global, cultural | | | | for. This does not make MEP guilty in my mind, as I |
| and linguistic awareness, that a company would be | | | | believe that everyone is "innocent until proven guilty", |
| willing to send unqualified linguist into a battle zone, | | | | but this does raise some alarming red flags in my |
| but that is exactly what is being alleged. In an article | | | | opinion. How did MEP achieve such high success when |
| released on September 8, 2010 by ABC News, they | | | | the Army's previous providers achieved only 43% |
| document and detail the claims of a former employee | | | | success rate? A few percentage points and I could |
| of Mission Essential Personnel (MEP) who claims that | | | | buy it, but 54% percent higher success rate then |
| documents and scores have been falsified in order to | | | | previous suppliers? That just does not sound right in |
| meet their governmental contract demands. | | | | my opinion. I understand that MEP's interpreters |
| As a Language Service Provider (LSP) we often hear | | | | translators can earn up to $210,000 per year which is |
| about the errors and wrongdoings of interpreters or | | | | very attractive and I am sure adds to the |
| of those who claim to be an "interpreter" or | | | | recruitment of linguists, but did MEP cut corners to |
| "translator" but have no formal training or knowledge | | | | achieve such staggering results? What training was |
| of our industry. It happens every day in our country | | | | provided by MEP for their linguists? How were the |
| but when the U.S. sends a "professional linguist" to | | | | tests and evaluations conducted? Without knowing |
| Afghanistan, I can only imagine how stressful | | | | MEP's internal control mechanisms and quality control, |
| interpreting in those settings can be. I find it hard to | | | | I can't fathom such a high success rate of qualified |
| believe that a company would willingly put profits | | | | candidates. |
| before lives, especially a company that is primarily | | | | It is interesting that MEP signed a $492.4 million dollar |
| focused within the linguistics industry. The goal for | | | | contract with the Army Intelligence and Security |
| most business is to provide a profit to their | | | | Command on August 18, 2010. I would have to |
| shareholders, but ethics and morals play a vital role as | | | | assume that the Army Intelligence and Security |
| well, and did MEP were protocols overlooked in order | | | | Command is pleased with their previous work or a |
| to turn a profit? | | | | new contract would not have been issued, but I do |
| In July, the CEO of MEP testified before a | | | | wonder how these allegations will affect MEP. |
| congressional committee that MEP was "able to | | | | This will be a story to follow closely, but if these |
| achieve a 97 percent fill rate of the government's | | | | allegations against MEP are true, then how many lives |
| requirement for linguists. Previous contractors never | | | | have been lost and what will the consequences be |
| exceeded 43 percent." Now from the perspective of | | | | for MEP's management team? If the allegations are |
| a Language Service Provider based in Chicago but | | | | false, how much damage has been done to MEP's |
| providing services nationwide, I can attest that the | | | | reputation and how do they respond and repair their |
| Afghan languages such as Dari and Pashto are often | | | | organization? It's a tough situation and it will be |
| difficult to locate qualified interpreters and translators | | | | interesting to see how it plays out. |