Soldier's language skills give him an edge during Army Africa's largest exercise

LIBREVILLE, Gabon — When Spc. Charles Cerisier deployed to Gabon for U.S. Army Africa’s annual Central Accord exercise, he didn’t think he’d be pulling double duty.

In addition to serving on the malfunction team while paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team conducted multinational airborne operations in Africa, Cerisier also filled the critical role of translator between American troops and their Gabonese and French counterparts.

“I was the only French speaker, so I was able to move around and help translate,” said Cerisier, a parachute rigger with the 11th Quartermaster Company.

Cerisier, who speaks English, French, Creole, Spanish and Patois, said he called his mom before departing for Gabon.

“When they told me I was going to come here, I had to call my mom to brush up on my French a little bit to make sure I still got it,” Cerisier said.
Cerisier, whose mom is Haitian and dad is Jamaican, said it took him a couple days to get the hang of it.

“It was very challenging because we’ve got the French and Gabonese, so you have different dialects,” he said. “But I was able to pick it up, and if I don’t understand what they’re saying, I’d ask them to explain it a little bit and I’d learn exactly what they were saying.”
His ability to speak French helped him to more easily form friendships with the French and Gabonese troops. He even helped translate during airborne refresher training as the U.S., French and Gabonese troops learned how to use each other’s parachutes.

“This is my first time out of the country with the Army,” said Cerisier, 27. “I’d love to do it again if I get a chance, especially here. It’s French, so I feel like I’m home when I speak French.”

He also relished being able to contribute in a different way to the mission, particularly by helping his leaders communicate with their French and Gabonese counterparts.

“Every five minutes, they’d ask for me to translate,” he said. “I was able to double-time back and forth, translating and making sure everything was going great.”

The experience was “eye-opening,” Cerisier said.

“I was their eyes and ears, so everything they needed, I was with them,” he said. “The experience was very good. If I had to do it all over again, I’d love that.”