Marines Get Crosscultural Competence Help In Afghan War Effort

Posted on April 11, 2010

In the complex social, political, military, and cultural terrain of the agonizing war in Afghanistan, satellite controlled missiles can pinpoint human targets but do soldiers know when best to call a meeting with village elders so it does not interfere with prayer time?

In a controversial effort to increase the chances of the success of the current strategy of “clear, hold, and build,” US Marines are investing quite a bit of time and effort to supplement their warrior skills with crosscultural competence. This is the key ingredient more and more companies serious about diversity are realizing is essential for creating inclusive cultures.

“In order to hold the ground recently captured from the Taliban,” NPR reports, in a project called Human Terrain System (HTS), the US military is using “the work of civilian anthropologists and other social science researchers, who advise military commanders on how to win the hearts and minds of local people.”

HTS proponents believe this approach intended to make them savvier about their ambitious build strategic prong is making a big difference. But some social scientists are objecting saying “there are serious ethical problems with using social science techniques to further military objectives.”

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About Andrés

Andrés Tapia is President of Diversity Best Practices, the preeminent diversity and inclusion thinktank and consultancy. In this role, he helps companies create first-in-class diversity strategies and develop innovative solutions for culture change. Previously he served as Hewitt’s Chief Diversity Officer and Emerging Workforce Solutions Leader. As a published writer and prominent speaker, Andrés offers thought-provoking views about diversity’s impact around the world. He is the author of The Inclusion Paradox: The Obama Era and the Transformation of Global Diversity. Find his bio here.