Language, Regional Expertise and Culture: LREC Brings Cultural Training to the Modern Age

Courtesy Photo | The Navy's Center for Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture (CLREC) delivers foreign language instruction and training on foreign cultures to prepare Navy personnel for global engagements - to strengthen ties with enduring allies, cultivate relationships with emerging partners, thwart adversaries and defeat enemies. Part of the Center for Information Warfare Training, CLREC is located at Naval Air Station Pensacola Corry Station. (U.S. Navy graphic/Released)  

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES

06.20.2018

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Taylor Jackson 

Center for Information Warfare Training

PENSACOLA, Fla. – Every day, the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT) trains thousands Sailors and joint service members across every aspect of information warfare. While most of the training being developed at CIWT is catered to this niche group, one program delivers mission critical training to Sailors at every rank throughout the fleet.

CIWT’s Center for Language, Regional Expertise and Culture (CLREC) department serves as the Navy’s primary for cultural and language training. As part of CIWT, CLREC is located onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola Corry Station.

CLREC delivers foreign language instruction and training on foreign cultures to prepare Navy personnel for global engagements to strengthen ties with enduring allies, cultivate relationships with emerging partners, thwart adversaries, and defeat enemies. Since 2007, CLREC has delivered specialized training to deployed Sailors to familiarize them with foreign environments and provide an overview of each region’s unique culture. CLREC’s Cultural Training materials can be used for both scheduled deployments and situations where immediate familiarization is required, such as natural disaster response.

"The training materials we provide help Sailors understand and anticipate the attitudes and actions of foreign people by introducing the predominant values, beliefs, behaviors and norms of foreign cultures," CLREC Director Christopher Wise said. "Culturally competent Sailors experience less culture shock, operate more effectively and are better ambassadors of our Navy and nation.”

As part of its language training responsibilities, CLREC coordinates all formal foreign language training of Navy personnel conducted at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. They ensure that the Sailors who will go on to be cryptologic technicians (interpretive) meet the required language proficiency standards.

CLREC also manages the Defense Foreign Language Testing Program for the Navy. CLREC testing sites in the U.S. and Navy College Offices overseas administer the Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB) and Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT). The DLAB measures the aptitude for foreign language learning by the typical native English speaker. The DLPT measures a service member's proficiency in a foreign language in listening and/or reading.

“Measuring foreign language proficiency through testing is necessary for Navy leaders to understand the language capabilities available,” said Wise. “For Sailors, a language proficiency score can affect bonus pays, special assignments, and even college credit.”

In an effort to maximize the availability of its language and cultural training, CLREC released a free mobile app for both Android and IOS. The CLREC Global Deployer mobile app provides cultural awareness and language resources such as history, geography, ethnic groups and culturally-appropriate behaviors for 27 different countries and their associated languages.

"Whether you are stationed overseas or visiting another nation during a port call on liberty, cultural understanding and familiarization with the language are keys to being a good ambassador," said Wise. "International engagement is something the Navy does and has always done. This app makes it easier than ever for our Navy team and family to access material that will help prepare them to be ready and successful abroad."

The CLREC Navy Global Deployer mobile application is available for download from the iTunes and Google Play online stores. To find the free app, search key words such as "CLREC" and "Navy global deployer" in the app stores or a web browser. Sailors can also find this app and many other Navy apps at https://www.applocker.navy.mil.

To schedule cultural or language training, order training materials, schedule foreign language tests, access pertinent instructions, or just ask a question, please contact us via email or phone at COMM: 850.452.6736 / DSN: 312.459.6736 / [e-mail] /[e-mail] / [e-mail].

For more news from Center for Information Warfare Training organization, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/cid/, http://www.netc.navy.mil/centers/CIWT/, http://www.facebook.com/NavyCIWT, or http://www.twitter.com/NavyCIWT.

• Date Taken: 06.20.2018
• Date Posted: 06.20.2018 10:12
• Story ID: 281628
• Location: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, US