Special Operations Forces Language and Culture Needs Assessment Project: Training Emphasis: Language and Culture

Abstract

This report examined Special Operations Forces (SOF) operators and leaders beliefs regarding what content should be emphasized in language and culture training to prepare SOF operators for their missions. Results from this study indicated that SOF operators and leaders believed the most emphasis should be placed on language tasks requiring active social interaction and military environment control. The social interaction tasks with the highest ratings were: using language skills to build rapport with the locals, and making both formal and informal greetings when introduced to individuals. The military environment control tasks with the highest ratings were: increasing situational awareness, and maintaining control in hostile situations. Specifically, results also indicate that there are different training emphasis needs across Army SOF types. SOF leadership can use this report to inform language and culture training decisions aimed at aligning training emphasis with job and mission requirements.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 25, 2010
Accession Number
ADA634227

Entities

People

  • Aaron Watson
  • Eric A. Surface
  • Reanna P. Harman
  • Ryan Phillips
  • Sarah Bienkowski
  • Stephen J. Ward

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Education
  • Human Behavior
  • Instructors
  • Language
  • Military Personnel
  • Military Reserves
  • Military Science
  • Personnel Management
  • Psychological Operations
  • Psychological Phenomena And Processes
  • Psychology
  • Situational Awareness
  • Special Operations Forces
  • Students
  • Training
  • United States Special Operations Command
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • Education

Readers

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Systems Analysis and Design