AU QEP pioneers education for cross-culturally competent airmen Published Feb. 19, 2009 By Carl Poteat Air University Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- For several months, Air University has been preparing for a visit from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools from March 2-4 to reaffirm their accreditation from 2004. A team of distinguished educators from SACS will be paying special attention to the Air University's Quality Enhancement Plan, said Dr. Brian Selmeski, the chair of the department of Cross-Cultural Competence in AU's Air Force Culture and Language Center. "It has never been done before," Dr. Selmeski said, referring to the effort to educate all military members to work effectively across cultures anywhere at anytime. "And that's what Air University's Quality Enhancement Plan is designed to do." The SACS visit is the "highest of academic inspections," according to Dr. Dot Reed, AU chief of Academic Affairs and accreditation liaison. She said AU's QEP is a major part of the reaffirmation. Failure to development or implement an acceptable QEP can result in loss of academic accreditation. The title of AU's QEP is "Cross-Culturally Competent Airmen" or simply referred to as "3C," Dr. Selmeski said. The subject was not directed by any one individual but came about as a result of a deliberate process. After several subjects were submitted, there were three that were considered finalists, including "warfighter development education" and "critical thinking leaders" along with 3C. Dr. Selmeski said 3C met the most of SACS QEP characteristics. He added after review by the AU Council of Deans and the Board of Visitors, the final decision was made to use 3C. In the current environment of frequent deployments, Dr. Selmeski said "we received feedback up from the bottom and down from the top" as both young enlisted members and senior leadership indicated a need for the type of culture preparation included in the QEP. "How do you prepare for an expeditionary career when you don't know where the next crisis will be, or where you're going," Dr. Selmeski said. "An Airman may be generating sorties in Kandahar tomorrow, running a convoy in Kirkuk next month and providing humanitarian assistance in Kenya the following year." He said the answer is 3C, or the ability to quickly and accurately comprehend, then appropriately and effectively act in a culturally complex environment to achieve the desired effect. To become cross-culturally competent, Dr. Selmeski said there are four elements. The first is a body of culture-general knowledge that provides the intellectual framework. Second are communication, negotiation and interpersonal relationship abilities that "allow you to put this knowledge into practice." Third is a handful of positive attitudes that "help you learn, retain and act appropriately," and fourth is practice in "applying these general principles to specific cultural contexts." The initial 3C efforts according to the QEP will start in the Community College of the Air Force, Officer Training School and the Squadron Officer College. Eventually 3C will touch most programs at Air University, Dr. Selmeski said. AU's QEP is pioneering, Dr. Selmeski said. "No institution of the Air Force's size has systematically built 3C across its entire workforce over the course of a generation." He said developing Airmen's cross-cultural competence will help them achieve mission success while reducing the potential consequences of operating in culturally complex environments. AU's QEP is the "leading edge" of the newly established Air Force Culture and Language Center's efforts, Dr. Selmeski said. For more information on the QEP, visit www.au.af.mil/culture.