Integrating Language and Cultural Knowledge into the Army Officer Corps
Abstract
As the Contemporary Operating Environment (COE) has shifted away from a necessity to apply conventional tactics towards a counterinsurgency fight, culture has become increasingly important to the U.S. Army. In the wake of such a tremendous tactical policy change, the U.S. Army must find a way to increase the cultural knowledge and strategic language capabilities within its Officer Corps. The Army's Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) recognizes this need and is seeking innovative ways to tackle such a challenge. By promoting the acquisition of culture and language comprehension before individuals become commissioned, the Army can save both time and money in training officers to prepare for the COIN fight. The author proposes implementing Order of Merit Score (OMS) and financial incentives for ROTC cadets who study abroad and/or demonstrate a proficiency in a strategic language. General William S. Wallace, the current TRADOC Commander, hosted a media roundtable in October of 2007 in which he discussed his plan to improve language skills within the Army through doctrinal changes. GEN Wallace said, "I, for example, think that every one of our ROTC scholarship recipients ought to be required to take a strategic language for some period of time." Such a change in the ROTC curriculum would certainly benefit both the COIN fight and diplomatic relations with other nations. Compared to today, significantly more officers would speak a strategic language proficiently. Furthermore, this requirement would enable the Army to conserve training time and DoD funding, as cadets would learn the languages while still in college before they become commissioned.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 12, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA494924
Entities
People
- Jennifer L. Purser