Accession Number:

ADA505029

Title:

Operational Culture: Is The Australian Army Driving the Train or Left at the Station?

Descriptive Note:

Research paper

Corporate Author:

MARINE CORPS COMBAT DEVELOPMENT COMMAND QUANTICO VA

Personal Author(s):

• Brain, Steven W.

Report Date:

2008-01-01

Pagination or Media Count:

24.0

Abstract:

Operational culture is a new wave of study enjoying much enthusiasm and popularity within most Western contemporary armies. Governed by the mission at hand, operational culture encompasses those aspects that can influence the outcome of a military operation, or conversely, those military actions that influence the cultural balance within an area of operations. As such, the correct application of operational culture is critical for any military force to favorably shape its own operating environment. In the Australian Army today, no cultural training is currently formalized. Individuals or units notified for deployment have to invent their own training objectives and this lack of institutional training necessitates adaptation while on operations. The decision on training objectives, how much training to conduct and how to adapt while on operations is largely left to the commanders discretion. To improve organizational paradigms resulting in enhanced shaping capabilities, the Australian Army needs to define cultural capabilities that will function in future warfare and train individuals and units to be able to fulfill that capability.

Descriptors:

• *MILITARY FORCES(FOREIGN)
• *COMMUNITY RELATIONS
• *UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE
• *AUSTRALIA
• *ARMY TRAINING
• *MILITARY OPERATIONS
• *CROSS CULTURE(SOCIOLOGY)
• FOREIGN LANGUAGES
• MILITARY PLANNING
• ORGANIZATIONAL REALIGNMENT
• SKILLS
• CIVILIAN POPULATION

Subject Categories:

• Sociology and Law
• Linguistics
• Military Forces and Organizations
• Unconventional Warfare

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE