The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in Monterey, California, traces its roots to the secret World War II U.S. Army intelligence unit comprised of Japanese-Americans – the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). 

Then, as now, we needed to succeed militarily and also communicate with other cultures and nations. 

The MIS was started in late 1941 as a unit to train Japanese-Americans (Nisei) to conduct translation and interrogation activities. MIS men came mostly from Hawaii and the West Coast.

If you ever have to work with people who don’t speak any of the same languages as you, you will probably have to use an interpreter to make yourself understood. Interpreters are a highly valuable resource for cross-cultural communication -- but when things go wrong, they can go very wrong.

Back in 2009, news reports explained that a U.S. intelligence operative in Afghanistan had provided Viagra to an older tribal and community leader who had several younger wives. The story triggered humor, concern and insight about working closely with indigenous populations in Afghanistan elsewhere.

This case shows us that interacting with indigenous people – so that they may consider being friends of Americans instead of enemies – can be approached in various ways, conventional and unconventional.

A small group of Soldiers from the Army Reserve 310th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) Indianapolis, and the 82nd Sustainment Brigade Fort Bragg, N.C. are currently serving as a logistical advise and assist team at Camp Taji, Iraq, to help Iraqi Security Forces sustain their war fighters as they push forward in their fight against ISIL. They accomplish this mission by drinking a lot of coffee and tea (chai).

An earnest desire to learn a local language — even a few words — can create bridges and trust that would not otherwise be possible.

Bridging cultures and understanding people from different nations is an arduous task. There are so many avenues and mediums to learn about different cultures ranging from books to movies, lectures, songs, poetry, blogs, social media and the like. But imagine something different, something more real and interactive.

SEALs and Rangers specialize in “direct action” and “special reconnaissance.” Meanwhile, Special Forces is focused on “foreign internal defense” and “unconventional warfare.”  That means preventing or assisting an insurgency. So, plain and simple, SF guys need a lot of people skills.

What makes companies succeed and fail in Asian countries? This article looks at numerology and its importance in both Asian cultures and markets.

Read any good books lately? How about a compelling TV drama or movie? We all like a good story, and good stories can affect us in significant ways.

As a result, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has been researching how storytelling affects you, me and other people around the world.

Recently, twenty-five female soldiers, NCO's, and Officers of the 5th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery dubbed "The Fighting Deuce" attended an international Women's Day luncheon with female soldiers of the Turkish 5th Armor Brigade in Gaziantep, Turkey.