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October 10, 2014
The Army has released its new operating concept.
It describes how future Army forces, as part of joint, interorganizational, and multinational efforts, operate to accomplish campaign objectives and protect U.S. national interests. It describes the Army’s contribution to globally integrated operations, and addresses the need for Army forces to provide foundational capabilities for the Joint Force and to project power onto land and from land across the air, maritime, space, and cyberspace domains. The Army Operating Concept guides future force development through the identification of first order capabilities that the Army must possess to accomplish missions in support of policy goals and objectives. The complexity of future wars with respect to cultural dimensions will place a premium on cultureal readiness. Click here to view the document.
As Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno writes in a foreword, it is "designed to "prevent conflict, shape security environments and win wars." The concept, released by the service's Training and Doctrine Command, lays out the framework for how the Army fights and takes into account "both continuities in war's nature and changes in its character," Odierno says. "Conflicts in the future, like those in the past, will ultimately be resolved on land," he writes - contradicting the conventional wisdom that the United States is moving away from the land wars of the past decade and toward a strategy more reliant on air and sea power.
“The purpose of the Army Operating Concept is to ask big questions; not focus on small answers. This concept focuses on three big questions; what level of war is the concept going to address, what is the environment we think Army forces will operate in, and what is the problem we are trying to solve. This concept focuses on all three levels of war: tactical, operational and strategic. The environment the Army will operate in is unknown. The enemy, location and coalitions involved are unknown. The problem we are focusing on is how to 'Win in a Complex World.’”
– Gen. David Perkins, commanding general of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command
Click here to view the document.
September 12, 2014
Check out the Google Cultural Institute.
This site, created by Google, helps to preserve and promote culture online. The Google Cultural Institute brings together millions of artifacts from multiple partners, with the stories that bring them to life, in a virtual museum.
With a team of dedicated engineers, Google is building tools that make it simple to tell the stories of our diverse cultural heritage and make them accessible worldwide. This site provides a visually rich and interactive online experience for telling cultural stories in new ways. Discover exhibits by expert curators, find artifacts, view photographs, read original manuscripts, watch videos, and more. Google works with organizations from across the globe on a variety of projects; presenting thousands of works of art online through the Art Project, bringing to life the wonders of the world through the World Wonders Project and showcasing the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Here you will find all sorts of interesting information about culture and history:
*News and features announcements
* Tips and tricks about Google Cultural Institute’s exhibits and features
* Spotlights on cultural themes and personalities on the site
* Stories behind historic and cultural events and people
* Hangouts about all sorts of cultural topics
* #CITrivia, a chance for you to show off your knowledge in culture and history
September 5, 2014
The Mexican culture is perhaps one of the most fascinating cultures worldwide. The mixture of strong native legends, artistic expressions and Spanish culture elements make the Mexican culture unique. This printable "Smart Card" created by the US Army's TRADOC Culture Center (TCC) puts some important facts all in one easy to digest culture guide. Check it out!
Read and print the smart card by clicking here
August 19, 2014
Established in 2004, the TCC provides relevant and accredited cultural competency training and education to Army Soldiers and DA Civilians in order to build and sustain an Army with the right blend of cultural competency capabilities to facilitate a wide range of operations, now and in the future. The TCC maintains an active Facebook presence with tips on cultures around the world and links to great culture training resources such as these Smart Books.
In order to contact the TCC, call 520-538-8275
Links:
TRADOC Culture Center on Facebook
August 11, 2014
For a long time the outside world accused Yazidis of being "Devil-worshippers". One of the most persecuted minorities in the Middle East, they face a possible genocide by advancing Islamic extremists. Right now their culture is under attack as they gather atop Mount Sinjar. Here are a few facts about this community to help you understand a little bit more about who they are:
They worship a fallen angel, the Malek Tawwus, or Peacock Angel. Unlike Satan, the Yazidis' angel was supposedly forgiven by God and returned to heaven
Even the mention of the word "Satan" is deeply offensive to them
They have kept their religion alive through "Talkers," men who are taught the entire text of their missing holy book - supposedly stolen by the British in colonial times
They never wear the color blue
They are not allowed to eat lettuce
They do not practise arranged marriage, like other communities in the region. They have a formal system of elopement, where a man must "kidnap" his bride. If the woman is willing, the parents have to accept the match
Most have fled to Australia, Canada and Germany
Iraq is the one place in the Middle East where a large community still exists
In Turkey, they were forced to carry identity cards that listed their religion as "XXX"
The Yazidis say they have survived 72 genocides
For a terrific photographic essay on one of Yazidi communites of northern Iraq in 2006, check out this link for Agence France Presse photographer Safin Hamed's work
Picture: SAFIN HAMED/AFP
August 5, 2014
The Social, Humanitarian Cultural Commitee (Third Committee) of the sixty-eighth session of the General Assembly, is chaired by H.E. Stephan Tafrov of Bulgaria. The General Assembly allocates to its Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs Committee, commonly referred to as the "Third Committee", agenda items relating to a range of social, humanitarian affairs and human rights issues that affect people all over the world. As in previous sessions, an important part of the work of the Committee will focus on the examination of human rights questions, including reports of the special procedures of the Human Rights Council which was established in 2006. In October 2013, the Committee will hear and interact with 49 such special reporters, independent experts, and chairs of working groups of the Human Rights Council. The Committee also discusses the advancement of women, the protection of children, indigenous issues, the treatment of refugees, the promotion of fundamental freedoms through the elimination of racism and racial discrimination, and the right to self- determination. The Committee also addresses important social development questions such as issues related to youth, family, ageing, persons with disabilities, crime prevention, criminal justice, and international drug control. At the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly, the Third Committee considered 59 draft resolutions, more than half of which were submitted under the human rights agenda item alone. These included three so-called country-specific resolutions on human rights situations. Under the chairmanship of H.E. Mr. Stephan Tafrov, the Permanent Representative of Bulgaria to the United Nations, the Third Committee is expected to consider a similar number of draft resolutions. In line with General Assembly resolution 66/246, the formal meetings of the Third Committee are webcast live on UN Web TV. Live coverage of the formal meetings is available in the six UN official languages, including the original language of the speaker. Past meetings of the session will also be available from the Comittee's dedicated video archives.
Links:
General Assembly of the United Nations, Social, Humanitarian Cultural Commitee
