DODI 5160.70 - Management of the Defense Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture (LREC) Program

Scope

DODI 5160.70 establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and provides procedures for managing the Defense Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture (LREC) Program. The instruction reissues and cancels the 2007 LREC instruction. The instruction adds regional expertise and culture as mission-critical competencies of the LREC Program and establishes initial culture learning guidelines. The instruction operates under DoD Directives 5142.02 and 5160.41E.

Audience

DoD Component Heads. Service language program managers. Marine Corps Intelligence Activity (MCIA) and Marine Corps language program managers. Marines with language proficiency, regional expertise, or culture training requirements.

Content scope

• Defense LREC Program management and oversight.
• Language proficiency testing framework (DLPT and OPI).
• Regional expertise and culture (REC) competencies.
• Component-level Service responsibilities for language programs.
• Reporting and assessment requirements.

Operative content

• Governs the Defense LREC Program, language proficiency testing (DLPT and OPI), and regional expertise and culture competencies.
• Does not set FLPB pay rates or FLPB eligibility. FLPB runs under DoDI 1340.27, MCO 7220.52G, and the annual FLPB MARADMIN, MARADMIN 480/26 for FY27.
• Marine Corps FLPB is not limited to strategic languages. Category 3 ad hoc payments cover any language, and the Category 5 lump sum covers every language except Spanish, per MARADMIN 480/26.

Connection to higher policy

• DoD Directives 5142.02 and 5160.41E. Parent directives for the LREC Program.
• 37 U.S.C. 353(b). Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus statutory authority, implemented by DoDI 1340.27.

Connection to Marine Corps doctrine and lower policy

• DoDFMR Vol 7A Chapter 19 (FLPB). The FLPB pay framework. Rates come from DoDI 1340.27 and MCO 7220.52G, not from this instruction.
• Marine Corps Language Strategic Plan. Marine Corps-specific language program implementation.
• Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC). DLPT testing facility.

Status

Active. Effective 30 December 2016. The instruction is the current DoD-level LREC Program authority.