Air University Commander visits the Air Force Culture and Language Center

_{Air University President and Commander Lieutenant General Anthony Cotton visited the Air Force Culture and Language Center Wednesday morning. During a briefing, he described the center’s work as “very beneficial”.}

 _{“I didn’t even realize how many countries we are associated with,” Cotton said, “this is very exciting”.}

 _{The Air Force Culture and Language Center provides cross-cultural training to men and women in the Air Force.  Howard Ward, the Air Force Culture and Language Center’s director, led the briefing with Lt. Gen. Cotton. Ward talked about the center’s upcoming symposium, the Language Enabled Airman Program, online courses, and more. He also shared stories from different service members who have benefited from AFCLC’s resources.}

_{“We are having an impact across the world from an education standpoint,” Ward said, “we are able to take language and regional training and support the objectives of the national defense strategy”.}

_{Highlighting the center’s use of technology, Ward explained how AFCLC faculty and staff are coming up with innovative ways to serve. One example: AFCLC’s expeditionary culture field guide app. The mobile app is free and is available to anyone with an iPhone or Android. Lt. Gen. Cotton downloaded the app on his phone during the briefing.}

_{“If you go on the app store, type in ‘AFCLC’, you can download it,” Ward explained, “the app was designed to work disconnected from WiFi so that Airmen can use it anywhere. We like to think of it as a tool that puts the world in your pocket”.} 

_{AFCLC’s Culture and Region Department Chair and Associate Professor of Anthropology Dr. Angelle Khachadoorian praised the center’s faculty for their extensive studies and research. She shared how faculty members are working together with service members of all levels.}

_{“We have social historians, anthropologists, ethnic studies experts all here at AFCLC,” Khachadoorian said, “it’s exciting for our faculty to have an impact. We are using intellectual ability and knowledge to try to positively shape decisions being made in the real world.”}

_{Towards the end of the briefing, Lt. Gen. Cotton emphasized the need to share AFCLC’s incredible story with the rest of the Air Force.}

_{“We have to get them to understand the broader perspective,” Cotton said, “we have to tell this story”.}