Transcript UK Policy - Adamson (United Kingdom)
UNITED KINGDOM CULTURE & LANGUAGE IN DEFENCE
Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel & Training)
MOD London – Strategic Headquarters Christine Adamson, MOD Culture & Language Policy Desk Officer Member of The Chartered Institute of Linguists
Language Training – Challenges
£ £ £ £ £
Language Training – Challenges
MOD budget deficit Adverse financial climate Unpalatable choices No stones unturned
Re-validating the requirement for C&L capability
Re-validating the requirement
“The ability to communicate effectively is a pre-requisite for the successful application of military and diplomatic influence.” Defence Language Capability Policy (DLCP)
Re-validating the requirement
“Culture & Language should support current & contingent operations in support of UK foreign policy in a timely and responsive manner” 2010 Study ‘The Future of Defence C&L Capability
Emerging C&L Governance
MOD Senior Responsible Owner for C&L Other Government Departments Joint Forces Command Unifying Joint User Academic & Commercial Partners Training Requirements & Assurance (DOLSU) Training Delivery (DefAc/DSL) Army Force Generation Linguists & Cultural Advisors (DCSU)
Challenges & Opportunities
Need to develop a new delivery model to deliver the requirement with reduced financial resource
Implementation by the end of Financial Year 2013/14
C&L Training – Future Delivery Project
PROJECT AIM “To develop and implement a coherent and cost-effective delivery model in order to meet Defence and Security Culture & Language training and education requirements.”
“
Language training includes per se a degree of cultural training.
All personnel engaged in Defence Missions overseas and with allies will require a degree of training for cross-cultural working, although not all posts will require foreign language skills. Cultural education and training may, therefore, be delivered independently of language training.” DLCP
Cross Government initiatives
Language skills in Diplomatic Excellence initiative Foreign & Commonwealth Office lead MOD, DfID, HMRC, UKBA, Metropolitan Police all engaged
E-Learning Face to Face training Blended learning
CULTURAL CAPABILITY The Defence Cultural Specialist Unit (DCSU)
DCSU
Established in April 2010 Mission – to improve Cultural Capablity across Defence Main effort – support to Operation HERRICK (Afghanistan) To date, 34 linguistically & culturally trained Cultural Advisors (CULADS) generated by DCSU have deployed to Helmand Province to help shape operations at Brigade and Battlegroup level Collect, Plan, Advise, Influence
Cultural Advisors Understanding of the local population and local nuances of an area
Cultural knowledge
Ability & tools to develop their understanding
Linguistic skills
Primary role that focuses on the people
CULAD Training Model
DCSU
1 2
DSL
4 3 2 3 2
DCSU
3
Def Ac
4
DCSU integrated course
40 weeks 15 Months
1 - Induction 2 - Language Training (40 weeks DSL course then integrated to mitigate skills fade) 3 - Military combat and staff skills 4 - Culture Training delivered by Cranfield University
“Our wider regional engagement is critical to the UK’s influence in a part of the world which is essential to the UK’s own security and prosperity. To have someone on my team who understands the culture and speaks the language has been absolutely invaluable.”
COS COMUKTG
DCSU Broadening Scope
2011 the first maritime CULAD, an Officer of the Royal Navy Reserve, deployed with the COMUK Task Group’s Flag Ship, HMS ALBION, to the Middle East & Persian Gulf
Maritime CULAD contribution
Advise Commander and his staff Low level cultural briefs to ship’s company – particularly prior to “Runs-ashore” Receiving & hosting VIP and military from the host country Key leadership engagement
Cultural Capability - Key Challenges
Meeting Op HERRICK requirements through Transition Reinforcing the training and force generation pipeline Refocusing to meet contingency Meeting the wider Defence requirement for cultural capability; Defence Diplomacy, training tasks, working with allies Developing relevant, robust and coherent training at all levels Address career implications, recognition and reward