The Defense Language and National Security Education Office, also known as DLNSEO, has collaborated with Joint Knowledge Online, or JKO, to deliver a culture training course to help meet the needs of a continuously expanding force with missions and activities that interact across all cultures.

The Cross-Cultural Competence Trainer, or 3CT, is an immersive training experience designed to boost knowledge of universal culture concepts, as well as prepare users to engage effectively across cultures. 3CT combines animated reenactments with high-resolution first-person avatar interactions presented in the actual area of operations where individuals can face some of the toughest challenges associated with working across cultures.

Learners are able to tailor the course of instruction based on mission or activity preference. After completing the universal cultural concepts lesson, learners are able to choose from a variety of actual activities most suitable to their needs. Included in the activities are humanitarian assistance missions, study abroad programs, and planning medical missions. Learners can even tackle multiple activities to practice responding to an even wider variety of cultural interactions.

Throughout the activities learners are guided by mentors. These mentors explain the impacts of decisions and help keep the learner on a solid path. The cultural challenges and concepts that drive 3CT come straight from today's operational environments, with contributions from military and civilian experts representing numerous agencies and offices throughout the total force.

The course is available on JKO, accessible anytime, anywhere. Through the integration of proven educational methodologies, engaging animations, and interaction with virtual 3D characters and environments in the 3CT course, the Defense Language and National Security Education Office is able to provide another means for individuals to be more prepared to interact effectively across cultures.