Introduction to Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency (CULP)

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MSL 101, Lesson 05: Introduction to CULP

Revision Date: 31 July 2011

Introduction to Cultural Understanding and Language

Proficiency (CULP)

Introduction to Cultural Understanding and Language

Proficiency (CULP)

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Objectives Familiarize Students with the CULP program

and its benefits

Access those eligible/interested in registering for the program and begin application process

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What is CULP?

Culture and language Incentive Pay

Foreign Language Scholarships Study Abroad Travel Pay

Active Duty for Professional Development Training in Culture and Language - OCONUS summer deployment

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Introduction to Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency (CULP)

Lieutenants must learn to;

– fully grasp the complexity of the environment in which they operate

– have sufficient knowledge of geo-politics, culture, language, economics, and the information environment

– perceive and to act on opportunities within the scope of their units’ collective knowledge and capability to assist whit conflict resolution when call upon to assist

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Cultural Understanding Gap

The lack of cultural understanding;

– influences the planning and execution of operations

– limits the effectiveness of units– limits the effectiveness of individual

leaders and Soldiers– reduces the Army’s overall

effectiveness of geographic combatant commanders

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AR 350-1:8–9. Cultural training domains(1) Pre-commissioning sources.

(a) Reserve Officer Training Corps. TRADOC is responsible for a program to incentivize cultural studies. This program, pursuant to approval, may include monetary and non-monetary incentives as well as program requirements.

(b) The USMA and ROTC. Cadet Troop Leader Training provides the opportunity for cadets to spend the summer with units serving outside of the continental U.S.

8–11. Language training domainsThe Army provides language training in three different domains: Institutional, Operational, and Self-Development.a. Institutional.(1) Pre-commissioning language training sources.(a) ROTC. TRADOC is responsible for a program to incentivize foreign language studies for ROTC based upon the requirements published in the FLL for training. This program, pursuant to approval, may include monetary and nonmonetary incentives as well as program requirements.

8–12. Language education and training documentationAll language education and training certifications and validations will be documented in training records in accordance with appendix F.

CULP Programs Now Authorized by Army Regulation

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Current Programs and Initiatives

On-Campus Culture and Language On-Campus Culture and Language ProgramsPrograms

Culture and Language Incentive Pay, (Skill Proficiency Bonus)

Foreign Language Scholarships

Cadet Study Abroad

NSEP Project Global Officer

NGCSU Total Immersion Pilot

Cadet Region/Culture/Language Selection Pilot

Culture and Language ImmersionCulture and Language Immersion

CONUS/OCONUS DeploymentsCONUS/OCONUS Deployments

Cadet Command Culture and Language Immersion Platoon Deployments

WHINSEC

FMSO – OSIRA Course

USMA Partnership

AOR ASCC/Country Team Coordination

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ROTC Cadets who take one of the approved foreign languages or a related cultural study may earn $250 a credit hour up to $3,000

•Course must be reflected on your transcript with a “C” or better.•Procedures can be found in CC Pam 145-3-2

CULTURE AND LANGUAGE INCENTIVE PAY - CLIP

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Language Scholarships•Awarded by Cadet Command •Now based on Foreign Language List

Study Abroad•Usually for one semester in a strategic cultural region.•Pays up to $6K travel if approved culture/language.

Language Scholarships and Study Abroad

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Cadets Selected:•Cadets apply on line

May be Freshmen, Sophomore, or Juniors, (Mostly Sophomores)

•Deploy as provisional squad/platoons with Cadre Leaders, (O5/E8)Ordered to AD for 31-45 DaysCentralized staging, SRP, Deployment (FY11 from Ft Knox)

•Conduct “Security Cooperation” events: mil-mil training, Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief or Service Learning Projects

•Evaluated for Leadership and cultural learning gain

Cadet Command Overseas Culture and Language Immersion Deployments

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Deploying Cadets have several requirements

• Pre-Deployment Requirements:– Complete all requirements for Application for Internship including:

Written Essay Cultural Awareness and Language Competency Pre-Test. Completion of all Pre-deployment Training and Certifications: (SERE-B, ISOPREP,

AT LEVEL I, Human Rights , AOR Specific Training, Immunizations– Complete the Peace Corps Cross-Cultural Workbook.

• During Deployment– Develop a hard copy product for oral presentation and Cadre Leader evaluation during

pre-deployment staging.– Rotate through Platoon Leadership positions with Cadre Leader Evaluation (LDAC CER)

• After Deployment– Receive Cadre Leadership Evaluation, and;– Conduct Self-Evaluation based on FM 6-22 Appendix A.– Complete Cultural Awareness and Language Competency Post-Tests

NOTE: Selected Cadets are notified of all requirements and assigned to a Cadre Leader who will supervise them in preparation and during deployment.

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Culture and Language ImmersionCONUS/OCONUS Deployments

• ROTC Cadets may apply for summer CULP DeploymentsApply on line nationally – Email: [email protected] for

directions.Deploy to strategically important countries and regions.Voluntarily ordered to Active Duty for professional development

training.Selected based on an order of merit list, OML. (Previous

language studies for that region are an important criteria for selection.)

Receive Cadet Pay if deployed more than 28 Days.Receive Cadet Leadership and Cultural Gain Evaluations.

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CULTURE AND LANGUAGE CAREER PLAN

On the following pages you will be guided through a process for choosing a path toward becoming competent in a foreign culture and language of your choice.

• Why select a Region/Language for Life-Long-Learning?

• What you need to do NOW.

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Why select a region/culture/language for study?

• Americans who work abroad in today’s business, governmental, or military professions are expected by their hosts to know the culture and have a level of language capability.

• The U.S. Army wants the Officer Corps of the future to be “culturally astute and attain a level of competence in a foreign language.” – At the company grade (lieutenant/captain), Fires and Maneuver

officers may need only minimal expertise. – Foreign Area Officers assigned to American Embassies abroad

will require high levels of culture and language competence.• ROTC Cadets have an opportunity to get a “jump-start” on their career

opportunities.

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What you need to do NOW

1. To get started…. Do a quick “self-assessment”

(See following pages)

2. Complete the CULP Career Plan which includes:– Choice of Region of focus for training.– Choice of culture and language for training.– Foreign Language and Cultural Studies planned for

remainder of undergraduate program.– Independent and self-study plans..– Study Abroad Plans– CULP Deployment Plans

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HOW TO GET STARTEDDetermine what your long term career goals are, then, set your college graduation objectives to lay a foundation to meet those career goals.

– During college, do you want to…. Gain a minimal level of the region/culture/language

in order to navigate, survive and avoid cultural insults while in a particular foreign region?

Work toward a functional level in order to negotiate in the marketplace and render cultural greetings and compliments?

Attain Regional/Cultural/Language Competence?

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NEXT – IDENTIFY YOUR LEARNING STYLE: Am I …?

Self-motivated and learn material well independently? Need the structure of a formal course? Need daily contact with an instructor who guides you

through the material? Comfortable working through material yourself with the

instructor as a resource for answering occasional questions? (Independent Study)

Absorb material well by hearing it or listening to it? Need to see the material in written form before you can

grasp it?

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Now - Explore your options

• Determine your interest in a particular Region/Culture/Language:

• Determinants:– Region/Culture/Language familiarity.

• Is there a particular Region/Culture/Language that you have a connection:

– Family/historical ties (heritage)?– Previous studies in high school or college?– Independent study or interest you already

have?

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Consider the Needs of the Army

• The U.S. Army has determined that the Officer Corps of the future must be culturally astute and possess a level of foreign language competence at the Company Grade, (lieutenant/Captain) level.

• As a result of this need, incentives are available to SROTC Cadets to non-monetary and monetary.

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Are you motivated to choose a particular Region/Culture/Language

based on:

– Your patriotic desire to meet the needs of your country?

– Non-monetary and/or monetary incentives?– Career aspirations.

• Both the Armed Forces and the world of international commerce and business need professionals who are culturally astute and competent in a foreign language.

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Are you interested in pursuing a particular Region/Culture/Language in order to prepare for a

career?

• Business professional with competence in a region strategic to the business world?

• Military career in an occupational specialty requiring competence in a particular region?

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Choose a Region/Language Life-Long Learning

REGIONS

VIII

I

IV

V

III

VI

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Arabic

Azerbaijani

Balinese

Bambara

Bantu

Bengali

Bosnian

Bulgarian

Burmese

Cambodian (Khmer)

Chechen

Chinese-Mandarin

Chinese-Cantonese

Chinese-Gan

Chinese-Wu

Croatian

Czech

Slovene

Somali

Swahili

Tagalog

Tajik

Tamil

Telegu

Thai

Tibetan

Turkish

Turkmen

Ukrainian

Urdu

Uighur

Uzbek

Vietnamese

Wolof

Yoruba

LatvianLithuanianMacedonianMalayMalaysianMongolianPashtoPersian-DariPersian-FarsiPersian-Afghan (Other)PolishPortuguesePunjabiRomanianRussianSerbianSerbo-CroatianSlovak

EstonianGeorgianHaitian-CreoleHausaHebrew (Modern)HindiHungarianIgboIlkanoIndonesianIsizuluJapaneseJavaneseKanareseKazakhKoreanKurdishKyrgyz

US Army Cadet Command Strategic Languages

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Your future opportunities will be SIGNIFICANTLY broader if you become knowledgeable of the culture of another part of the world.You will be an extremely valuable asset to the Army or the business/academic world if you speak the language of that culture.Check out the Blackboard CULP page or Contact the Cadet Command Culture and Language Division, [email protected] if you want to discuss further.

Final Words

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Individual CULP briefings Summary Questions Next Lesson: Lesson 02b

Introduction to Principles of War and Operations Read student text, Officership Track, Section 2,

Introduction to the Principles of War, pp. 170-183. Be prepared to discuss which Principles of War were

violated in the “A Shau Valley of Vietnam in 1963” from the “Critical Thinking” question on p. 181.

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Introduction to Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency (CULP)