Cross-Cultural Competency in the General Purpose Force: Training Strategies and Implications for Future Operations

摘要

An abundance of research in Cross-Cultural Competency (C3) is conclusive in recognizing the value it has for General Purpose Forces (GPF), but the majority of the services have been slow to incorporate it into their education and training with the exception of the Marine Corps. It is time to transform the collective ideas of this research into an enduring services-wide recruitment and training curriculum that advocates the right balance between language and culture. Virtually all studies of C3 demonstrate that cultural learning is more valuable than language learning. Nevertheless, C3, conceptually and contextually, remains relatively unknown to the majority of the services. In addition to discussing a frame-work for C3 implementation, this study establishes a foundation for why there needs to be increased emphasis on C3 education beyond Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, investigates the current status of C3 programs across the force, and, despite its promising value to the GPF, examines why it might currently be in jeopardy.