Discussion Groups / English Usage / May 2009

It is used by the Defense Language Institute (DLI), a United States
Department of Defense (DoD) educational and research institution.

http://flc.osu.edu/resources/careers/getting_a_job/exams.cfm

   DLAB (Defense Language Aptitude Battery)
   There are several jobs in the military which require fluency in a
   foreign language. The Department of Defense and many other military
   divisions use two primary tests to determine eligibility.
   
   The first test is the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT). This
   test is designed for individuals who are already fluent in a
   specific foreign language needed by the military. Quite simply, it
   tests the individual's current knowledge of a specific language. The
   test results in a language proficiency rating of 0, 0+ 1, 1+, 2, 2+,
   or 3, with three being the highest. The version of the test commonly
   given at locations other than the Defense Language Institute,
   measures only reading and listening ability.
   
   Many posted positions with a division of the military require a
   rating of 3/3, or 3 on the reading portion and 3 on the listening.
   (Speaking also requires a score of 3 if administered)
   
   The newest version of the DLPT (version V) measures language ability
   on a scale of 0 through 5+, but it will be a few years before this
   version is available for all tested languages.

Defense Language Institute:
http://www.dliflc.edu/

http://www.lingnet.org/

   The LingNet web site is a service provided by the Defense Language
   Institute Foreign Language Center. LingNet hosts materials developed
   at DLI by the Curriculum Development Division. These include both
   the "Countries in Perspective" series and the Global Language Online
   Support System (GLOSS). The LingNet web site also hosts materials
   developed by other government and Department of Defense agencies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_Language_Institute

[Thanks to Google and Wikipedia.]