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NECC Focuses on Language and Cultural Training for Mission Success

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080109-12
Release Date: 1/9/2008 4:56:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jen Smith, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- For Navy Expeditionary Combat Command Sailors who deploy on missions throughout the world, cultural awareness and language training is essential to the success of those duties.

When the Chief of Naval Operations presented his Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Sea Power, he called on naval forces to develop and sustain cooperative relationships with more international partners in order to improve regional security and stability.

"NECC forces will certainly play a critical role in this effort," said Capt. Robert McKenna, NECC's training officer. "A key to fostering such relationships is development of sufficient cultural, historical and linguistic expertise among our Sailors."

Lessons learned from missions conducted in Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq have shown a consistent lack of cultural awareness that is a chief barrier to mission success. The need for this sort of training is mentioned in several documents, including the CNO's Guidance and the Navy's Strategic Plan. Both call for "developing practical cross-cultural skills to further promote relations with emerging partners.

Last year, Sailors attached to Expeditionary Training Command (ETC) participated in an intensive four-day regional orientation course taught by Old Dominion University's Military Distance Learning Program, in conjunction with security and stability defense contractor I.T.A, in preparation for their deployment aboard USS McHenry (LSD-43) to western Africa. Prior to that, ETC Sailors attached to High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV-2) participated in similar training that prepared them for a deployment to countries in the Caribbean and Central America.

NECC's training department recently worked with the U.S. Army to make training available to Navy personnel at the Peace Operations Training Center (POTC) in Jordan. The center provides training to familiarize deploying U.S. forces with the cultural aspects of Iraqi society.

"The training our Sailors receive there is considered the best in theater, and will certainly provide invaluable benefits to each service member that participates," said McKenna. "We have also worked with contractors and Old Dominion University here in Virginia to develop immersion language and targeted regional orientation courses for deploying NECC personnel."

Several other organizations helped develop other courses intended to improve international relationships between deploying Sailors and the host nations. Some of the things NECC is focusing on are French, Spanish and Portuguese language courses and regional orientation courses covering Southern Command, Africa and southeast Asia.

McKenna says NECC is also working on several initiatives that should improve access to quality language training in the future.

"The first one is the ability for Navy personnel to access commercially produced language training," he said. "This effort is going through the final steps in the contracting process and should be available on Navy Knowledge Online in a few weeks."

He continued by explaining the second initiative, which is called Integrated System for Language Education and Training (ISLET). It's based on several new language learning technologies and, according to McKenna, will enable students to achieve a foreign language proficiency equal to that of four to six semesters of college-level class work, and it will also provide a way to sustain the training.

As the NECC moves forward into its third year, its Sailors will have more opportunities to better themselves as ambassadors to foreign countries and have a higher chance of success in their missions throughout the world.

For more news from Navy Expeditionary Combat Command visit www.navy.mil/local/necc/.