An assessment of the ability of U.S. Department of Defense and the services to measure and track language and culture training and capabilities among general purpose forces

Introduction. -- Methodology and data. -- Impact of LREC training and capabilities on mission readiness and accomplishment. -- The U.S. Department of Defense's ability to track LREC training and capabilities. -- Conclusions and recommendations. -- Appendixes. -- References

"The purpose of this research was to assess the ability of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to measure and track language, regional expertise, and culture (LREC) capabilities and training among general purpose forces (GPF). The research tasks addressed four specific questions: 1. According to the best available data, what is the relevance of LREC training and capabilities to overall unit readiness and mission accomplishment? 2. How does DoD currently track the LREC training and capabilities of GPF? 3. Does this tracking adequately reflect unit readiness and the ability to accomplish missions? 4. If not, how can DoD improve tracking of LREC training and capabilities to adequately reflect unit readiness? To address these questions, the study team reviewed DoD policies and directives and the available academic literature, conducted interviews of practitioners and policymakers, and analyzed available survey data. This report presents the results of the study. This research should be of interest to policymakers interested in LREC skills and training, as well as those interested in readiness requirements."--Preface