US Army Cadet Command Culture and Language Training Program
Cadet Derricka Vereen
The Department of Military Science congratulates Cadet Derricka Vereen on being selected to go to Tanzania, Africa this summer as part of the U.S. Army Cultural Understanding and Language Proficiency (CULP) Program. CULP slots are awarded on a competitive basis and take into account several factors, such as GPA, physical fitness, an essay, and other pertinent selection criteria. The Army recognizes the need for young leaders to develop more cultural awareness and foreign language proficiency skills. Now more than ever, cultural awareness training is a vital component to the ROTC curriculum. Overseas immersions help educate future leaders in ways the classroom cannot. Cadet Vereen is a senior and a dual major here at Jackson State University studying physics and secondary education. In Tanzania, Cadet Vereen will be teaching English to the Tanzanian Army. This military to military engagement strengthens U.S. relations with both the military and the government of Tanzania. These opportunities also expose Cadets to everyday life in different cultures and intensify language study, which helps produce commissioned officers who possess the right blend of language and cultural skills required to support global operations in the 21st Century.