Comprehensive Regional Expertise in the United States Army

The Department of Defense acknowledged the importance of language and cultural expertise with the approval and dissemination of the Defense Language Transformation Roadmap in February 2005 and Department of Defense Directive 3000.05 in November 2005. Both documents fall short of establishing an all-encompassing and prescriptive approach for harnessing the power of comprehensive regional expertise. Nevertheless, this recognition sets the conditions for establishing a military force that can proactively influence people, gain trust and confidence, and facilitate peace and stability while maintaining the ability to conduct war. It is vital for today's United States Army professional to develop, train and maintain language and cultural expertise analogous with other fundamental soldier skills. As the United States continues to compete with multiple state, non-state, regional and internal stakeholders to secure positive influence over people and finite resources, and to prevent instability around the globe, it is imperative that the United States Army develop, integrate and maintain comprehensive regional, linguistic and cultural expertise.