BY ORDER OF THE
SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
POLICY DIRECTIVE 36-40
3 NOVEMBER 2022
Personnel
LANGUAGE, REGIONAL EXPERTISE,
AND CULTURE PROGRAM
COMPLIANCE WITH THIS PUBLICATION IS MANDATORY
ACCESSIBILITY: Publications and forms are available on the e-Publishing website at:
www.e-publishing.af.mil for downloading or ordering.
RELEASABILITY: There are no releasability restrictions on this publication.
OPR: AF/A1D Certified by: SAF/MR
SF/S1: Mr. Todd A. Remington
USSF, Senior Coordinator)
Supersedes: AFPD36-40, 7 August 2018 Pages: 7
This directive implements Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 5160.41E, Defense Language,
Regional Expertise, and Culture (LREC) Program, DoD Instruction 5160.70, Management of the
Defense Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture (LREC) Program, DoD Instruction 5160.71,
DoD Language Testing Program, DoD Instruction 1340.27, Military Foreign Language Skill
Proficiency Bonuses, and DoD Instruction 3305.06, Special Operations Forces (SOF) Foreign
Language Policy. This publication establishes policy for developing language, regional expertise,
and culture capabilities under the direction of the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force for
Manpower, Personnel, and Services (AF/A1). It applies to Department of the Air Force (DAF)
civilian employees and uniformed members of the Regular Air Force (RegAF), United States
Space Force (USSF), Air Force Reserve (AFR), and Air National Guard (ANG). Note: All
references to US Air Force-specific terminology also applies to the DAF, including the USSF, or
to the USSF equivalent, as appropriate. For example, references to Airmen also apply to
Guardians. Air Staff roles and responsibilities also apply to the equivalent Office of the Chief of
Space Operations (informally referred to as Space Staff) office. This publication may not be
supplemented. In collaboration with the Chief of Air Force Reserve (AF/RE), the Director of the
Air National Guard (NGB/CF), and the Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Human Capital
(SF/S1), AF/A1 establishes policy for identifying, developing, sustaining, and utilizing language,
regional expertise, and culture capabilities. Ensure all records generated as a result of processes
prescribed in this publication adhere to Air Force Instruction 33-322, Records Management and
Information Governance Program, and are disposed in accordance with the Air Force Records
Disposition Schedule, which is located in the Air Force Records Information Management System.
