Publication: FA Journal
Publication Date: 01-JAN-07
Delivery: Immediate Online Access
Author: Hernandez, Prisco R.
Article Excerpt
Captain Smith walks into Haji Yar Molavi's house to discuss the needs of students in the neighborhood's elementary school and the recent car bombing that occurred near the mosque. Haji Molavi had invited Captain Smith to his house because he was comfortable with their relationship. His son serves hot chai (tea), freshly baked bread and fruit.
Captain Smith is a bright, adaptable Artillery officer. As such, he tackles many sensitive issues that lie well outside the traditional areas of expertise of combat arms officers. He is willing to learn and has adjusted well to the various roles he must play in stability operations.
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However, once the initial pleasantries are exchanged, Captain Smith and most of his fellow officers are unable to accomplish anything without relying on interpreters. This puts the captain and his peers in a position of disadvantage when dealing with local leaders.
Ideally, the captain would have all the language and cultural skills of "Lawrence of Arabia." Obviously, this exceptional level of linguistic and cultural expertise is unattainable without years of immersion in a foreign culture.
Does this mean that our officers and NCOs must accept their limitations and rely on contracted "experts" for such a crucial and sensitive part of their jobs in stability operations? I contend that this reliance on "outside help" is neither good for the Army nor something that must be accepted because any alternative would be "too difficult to implement."
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There are many examples in the history of the US Army and other military forces where one person made a significant impact because of a superior level of cultural understanding.
Identifying a Training Need: Cultural Understanding. The Army recognizes that to succeed in today's contemporary operating environment (COE), cultural knowledge is not optional or "nice to have" but essential to mission success. This has been addressed in the Army's capstone manual FM 1 The Army. FM 1 says, "Military professionals must be culturally aware--sensitive to differences and the implications those differences have on the operational environment." (1) Cultural training is now an integral part of pre-deployment training and applies to all Soldiers. (2)
In addition, the Army recognizes the value of skilled professionals who have a deep understanding of specific regions and countries, to include knowledge of the language. Due to the importance of the information environment and the requirements of stability operations, many Soldiers are in positions where a deeper knowledge of the culture in which they are working could increase their ability to accomplish the mission.
This deeper level of cultural understanding is clearly more than simple "cultural awareness" but does not reach the level of expertise required of an academic area expert. "Cultural awareness" is basic knowledge of a region and culture that includes social mores, religious traditions, customs and perhaps a few key phrases; "cultural expertise" is the deep knowledge acquired after years of cultural, linguistic and regional study, including practical experience, living and working in the target culture.
With those definitions, we can define "cultural understanding" as the "gray area" in between superficial familiarity and profound expertise. It is precisely this gray area that is critically important to military professionals engaged in stability operations.
A Three-Step Approach to Cultural Understanding. I propose a three-step approach that takes the student beyond mere cultural awareness to a deeper level of cultural understanding--from the level of merely avoiding causing offense to being an active and independent participant in the target culture.
The intent is not to make the Soldier a regional or cultural expert. Such expertise requires many years of sustained study and immersion in a culture. The program I propose would equip the Soldier with skills to operate with true understanding--not simply awareness. This understanding would come from purposeful study in three distinct, but related, cognitive areas: history and culture, language, and practical application. (See Figure 1.)
History and Culture. Knowledge of history and basic cultural understanding are, conceptually, the easiest to acquire. This knowledge involves a considerable investment of time in reading and thinking about the history and the society of the target region and country. It includes understanding the origins and development of the dominant culture or cultures of a region.
The student is exposed to the deep history of civilization in the target area. This enables him to take a long perspective on conflict, war and the cultural, intellectual and material achievements of the...
NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.
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