Statement of Rear Admiral Daniel P. Holloway Before the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee on Foreign Language and Cultural Awareness Transformation

摘要

Chairman Snyder, Congressman Akin, and distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for this opportunity to present an overview of Navy's Language, Regional Expertise and Culture transformation efforts and for your interest in, and support for, these vital programs. Navy leadership views language, regional expertise and culture, or LREC, as a force multiplier in the global, international maritime environment of the 21st Century. Catalyzed by the attack on USS Cole in October 2000, Navy has made a concerted effort to increase and enhance LREC capacity across the Total Force. We have taken stock of organic capabilities, compared them to known and projected requirements, invested prudently to fill critical gaps, and implemented a strategy that allows us to shape and employ LREC attributes sensibly, intelligently, and with optimal effect. This is an enormous challenge given our 24/7 global presence mission in a world comprised of over 6,000 distinct languages, where 90 percent of world commerce moves over water, and 80 percent of the population lives within a few hundred miles of a coast or major waterway. It is made even more complex by the delicate balance we must strike between sustaining enduring missions, which require continued technological superiority, and accommodating our emerging roles and responsibilities, which necessitate development of 'soft disciplines' such as language and cultural familiarity. As our new Maritime Strategy clearly states, 'trust and cooperation cannot be surged,' and we've taken concrete steps to ensure our LREC capabilities are sufficient to satisfy requirements. Our effectiveness overseas is as dependent on our ability to comprehend and communicate as it is on firepower and technological supremacy.