Dissertation Proposal Defense by Robert Newson

Location

Virtual

Free

CROSS-CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE

Abstract

      Cross-cultural competence is important to the military. As demonstrated during the war on terrorism, cross-cultural incompetence contributes to international incidents, undermines partnerships, and threatens lives. Superior cross-cultural performance is increasingly seen by the military as a means to successful operations. This dissertation is focused on Navy SEALs and their ability to operate across cultures. The objective is to identify personal attributes that contribute to cross-cultural performance. This knowledge will be of particular interest to those in the Special Operations community responsible for training and personnel assignments. This mixed methods research combines existing assessment instruments and peer ratings of deployed SEALs to identify a benchmark of cross-cultural competencies and enablers. This benchmark will be compared to the profile of recent graduates of the SEAL selection course. Identifiable gaps between the two would suggest training, education and developmental requirements.