Theme: Excel in LREC to Win
Deadline for Submission: 15 July 2022

The 2022 Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture (LREC) Symposium committee invites proposals for individual or panel presentations on topics devoted to successful examples of LREC skills in action, or which suggest changes to existing strategy, operations, and/or other organizational efforts related to the themes of LREC, the USAF/DoD, and global security.

In the context of a rapidly changing world, CSAF Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.’s call for Airmen to “Accelerate, Change, or Lose,” asks the U.S. Air Force to make critical adjustments to ensure success when operating in future contested environments. His call is broken into four action orders: Airmen, Bureaucracy, Competition, and Design Implementation, with revised action orders published earlier this year.

Skills in LREC support Gen. Brown’s goals by facilitating more effective collaboration, reinforcing partnerships within and beyond the Air Force, and aiding in understanding the underlying values, motivations and choices of other cultures and countries. LREC strengths are important across all aspects of the DoD’s efforts to accelerate change, and are critical factors when cooperating with allies and partners and engaging with adversaries.

 Presenter Info

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass represents the highest enlisted level of leadership, and as such, provides direction for the enlisted force and represents their interests, as appropriate, to the American public and to those in all levels of government. She serves as the personal adviser to the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of the Air Force on all issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale, and proper utilization and progress of more than 600,000 Total Force Airmen. Chief Bass is the 19th chief master sergeant appointed to the highest noncommissioned officer position.

Russell J. Frasz, United States Air Force Senior Language Authority

Russell J. Frasz, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the Director, Force Development, Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel and Services, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. He oversees the development of strategies, policies, and systems to foster continued development of more than 660,000 military and civilian personnel. Responsibilities encompass officer, civilian and enlisted force development through education and training and leadership development as well as oversight of the Air Force senior leader development program. Additionally, he is responsible for leading diversity and inclusion transformation for the Air Force. Mr. Frasz also serves as the Department of Defense Executive Agent for the Defense Language Institute English Language Center and as the Air Force Senior Language Authority, responsible for establishing policy and providing oversight of the Air Force's culture, language and regional programs.

Dr. Mark Conversino, Chief Academic Officer, Air University

Dr. Mark J. Conversino is Chief Academic Officer, Air University (AU). In this role, as a member of the University’s senior leadership team, he is the principal authority and executive-level advisor to the AU Commander and President for all issues pertaining to academic programs across the University. This includes curriculum development, integration, and assessment, institutional research, regional and specialized accreditation compliance, coordinating with the Joint Staff, Headquarters, Air Force and AF major command staffs, and working with AU Center Commanders and School Commandants to ensure the quality and viability of their education programs. He advises the AU Commander and school and center commanders and deans on all matters relating to faculty, including recruiting, retention, and development. Dr. Conversino specializes in military and airpower history and theory, Russian history and contemporary Russian foreign policy and politics.