Wanted: soldiers with cultural savvy.

• Jurisdiction: United States
• Date: 01 July 2009
• Author: Erwin, Sandra I.

One of the catchphrases in Army circles these days is "culture training." It's the idea that military forces need to understand the values and social characteristics of a region if they're going to achieve any success there, whether it's in countering insurgencies or chasing terrorists who hide among the local population.

The Army stepped up efforts to boost commanders' knowledge of the Iraqi and Afghan cultures by dispatching teams of anthropologists who are attached to military units and are assigned to reach out to the population and report back on what they've learned.

But Army leaders have suggested...