In response to the Secretary of Defense's Language Transformation Roadmap, the U.S. Navy began incorporating language and cultural awareness into the Fleet Response Training Plan in 2006. The goal was to align language skills, region expertise and cultural awareness with operational requirements to support joint and Navy missions.

Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) implemented a comprehensive training plan in January 2007, which executed the Chief of Naval Operations Language, Regional Expertise and Culture (LREC) Strategy, ensuring deployable combat forces receive regional and cultural awareness training that will enable effective interaction with native populations, local and government officials and coalition partners.

NECC's globally deployed, mission-tailored forces accomplish conventional and irregular warfare missions that combat terrorism, prevent crises and promote stability. According to Chief Logistics Specialist Elizabeth Metheny, NECC LREC coordinator, NECC is leading the way in incorporating LREC into the force irregular warfare mission.

"Irregular warfare is more than having capabilities and skill sets for combat. Knowledge of the human terrain is paramount," she said. "It is having a cultural understanding of the region and allowing that knowledge to guide our host-nation interactions."

Metheny and her team coordinate with the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV N13F), the Office of Naval Research and the Center for Language, Regional Expertise and Culture (CLREC) to develop training germane to the expeditionary force.

NECC has implemented predeployment language and cultural awareness training that prepares Sailors to interact with indigenous populations. The training provides basic facts about the region, basic cultural sensitivities, and, if necessary, provides survival-level language skills.

Lieutenant Clint Phillips, an officer-in-charge for an MCAST Maritime Civil Affairs Team, received LREC training prior to deploying to Kenya. The three-week course involved Swahili phraseology, as well as cultural training.

"I had a great opportunity to use this training and expand upon it on a day-to-day basis," he said.

"Although we had a Tanzanian People's Defense Force liaison officer, who generally translated for us, I had the opportunity everyday to use my Swahili language and cultural training."

This training, Phillips said, helped to make the civil affairs mission successful.

"In the civil affairs world, the ability to speak and understand the local languages in the areas we work is highly beneficial," he said. "It is my personal belief that the very basic Swahili conversational skills I have, allowed me to conduct my job more thoroughly, as well as establish a better rapport with the Tanzanian people."

Training is delivered through self-study initiatives, mobile training teams and during the certification phases of the training cycle. According to Metheny, the curriculum includes resource media, quick reference books, field guides and downloadable training.

"The emphasis has been on Iraq and now is shifting to Afghanistan, our African partners, and other countries where the Navy operates," said Metheny. "In our efforts to enhance the training environment we are incorporating cultural scenarios into every event."

As the Navy continues to operate in more countries around the world, foreign language and regional expertise capabilities are critical warfighting skills. According to Metheny, the language need has steadily increased over the past four years.

In today's expeditionary environment, language and cultural awareness is not limited to just linguists.

"LREC has increased for all Sailors," said Metheny. "Every interaction with the local population, either positive or negative, can directly influence the success of the mission."

NECC, as the expeditionary force type commander, assists subordinate units in getting resources and materials to satisfy training requirements and effectively prepare for deployment. These language skills are essential in helping the expeditionary forces complete their global missions.