Operational Cultural Training

Interacting with local forces and civilians effectively requires a specific set of cross cultural knowledge and skills.  Understanding how the local population thinks and behaves can help military personnel avoid making massive cultural faux-pas and increase their chances of positive collaboration and operational impact. 

Whether it’s understanding how and when to enter a local’s home, dealing sensitively with local women or showing an appreciation for the underlying cultural or religious values which impact on the way a negotiation works, military personnel must be able to act and react appropriately to any situation that may arise in the theatre of operation.

Our team of over 250 cultural advisors have extensive knowledge of the local culture and equip delegates with the skills and awareness they need to understand the national, regional and even local culture in any current or anticipated AO.  The knowledge that our cultural advisors impart to delegates and the skills they help them develop assures that military personnel can more effectively and appropriately respond to any peaceful or conflicting situation, thereby reducing the many risks inherent in the military context.

Benefits of our Operational Cultural Training

Communicaid’s operational cultural training courses will provide military personnel with:

• In-depth understanding of why culture matters to military operations
• Greater awareness of their own culture and their impact on military operations and relationships
• Improved ability to gather information and analyse the culture of any given theatre and to understand the implications of cultural factors to military operations
• In-depth knowledge of the key dimensions of operational culture and their implication for military operations
• Greater confidence and personal impact in order to share cultural knowledge to effect change in operations
• Enhanced communication skills and ability to adapt style and methods of communication according to cultural audience and context
• Improved ability to apply a toolkit of influencing and relationship building skills to shape thought throughout theatre

Operational Cultural Training Content

Communicaid’s operational cultural training courses are tailored to meet the unique needs of each group and theatre of operation.  Courses are structured on the fundamental tools of social anthropology and key cultural dimensions to enable military personnel to understand and analyse any culture.  These are applied through highly practical and interactive exercises and resources to the specific military implications which may be encountered in any AO.

Click on the links below to see some sample course materials and resources.

• Reading Materials:
• Contents of Cultural Guide available for Brigade
• Extract from the ANSF Booklet for UK Brigade and Battalion Commanders
• Extract from the Cultural Booklet for Company and Platoon Commanders

• Presentations:
• For a list of available presentations click here
• For a sample presentation on Afghani culture click here

• Practical Scenarios
• For list of available scenarios for Officers and NCOs click here

Operational Cultural Training Advisors

Communicaid has over 250 cultural advisors who are key to ensuring the success of our operational cultural training.  All cultural advisors are highly experienced professionals who meet the following requirements:

• Extensive experience of living in the theatre of operation
• Holders of a British passport or with Indefinite Leave to Remain
• Fluent English and excellent understanding of the military personnel’s cultural attitudes and values
• Educated to at least first degree level in a British or US university
• Experience of delivering language and cultural training to military personnel

We also offer highly qualified one-to-one mentoring and advice to Commanders from security vetted (SC and BPSS) personnel.  Experience includes Pashon Horizon 1-3 and numerous Bde and BG commanders.