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UNC faculty provide soldiers meaningful expertise in Asian language, culture and history.

The exterior of South Building, framed by two large, bare trees. An American flag flies in front.
(Photo by Johnny Andrews/UNC-Chapel Hill)

As one of six area studies centers at Carolina recognized as a National Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Education, the Carolina Asia Center (CAC) is tasked with outreach that makes deep knowledge on Asia accessible for various audiences beyond campus. One aspect of this work has been providing training and education opportunities for soldiers from Fort Liberty, one of the world’s largest military bases, located in eastern North Carolina, to better understand Asia as they protect and promote America’s national security. 

The CAC’s relationships with Fort Liberty go back for several years, including training opportunities offered in 2022 to civil affairs units engaging with Asia. In 2023, this work has increased and broadened, to include training for language students at Fort Liberty, lectures on the base in Cumberland County and more visits from soldiers to the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. Additionally, the CAC is underwriting classes that are helping military staff enrolled as students at UNC to prepare for their work in national security after graduation. 

One way that the CAC has expanded its engagement with Fort Liberty in 2023 is working with soldiers who are from the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, are special operations forces and are learning the Indonesian language. In June 2023, several of these soldiers and their language instructors came to Chapel Hill to play on the Indonesian gamelan and angklung instruments. They also had the opportunity to practice speaking the language with Indonesian UNC graduate students and to hear a lecture from one of Carolina’s experts about religion in the country. 

In July 2023, the CAC made a return visit to Fort Liberty by sending down associate director Kevin Fogg. Fogg lectured on Indonesian regionalism to soldiers enrolled in the language program and lectured on Chinese policy towards Muslims for a civil affairs unit training on Asia. 

This year, a team of soldiers will meet with local members of the Nepalese community to learn about culture and social mores in advance of working on humanitarian issues in the region. 

The Carolina Asia Center is also proud to provide critical education on Asia for military students enrolled at UNC. This range of engagement with the U.S. military is emblematic of the way in which UNC’s six area studies centers contribute strongly to the national interest in their work promoting greater understanding of the world beyond the U.S. 

By Carolina Asia Center

Read more details about Carolina Asia Center’s work with Fort Liberty.

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