Book Description

Military doctrine currently provides guidance on various methods to train host-nation security forces (FM3-24); yet U.S. advisors typically have little training in teaching methods, particularly in a cross-cultural environment. This report presents a conceptual framework that identifies individual advisor and counterpart differences, as well as the situational and cultural factors that impact the success and failure of training, coaching, or mentoring. The report includes a comprehensive literature review and data from iterative interviews with host nationals, military transition team members, cross-cultural education experts, and educators and trainers from the United States, Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Horn of Africa. It also includes recommendations that outline innovative methods for training military advisors to more effectively teach and coach their counterparts in a cross-cultural setting. To provide effective advising to host nationals, advisors need expertise in two areas: (1) cross-cultural competencies related to teaching and learning, and (2) cross-cultural teaching strategies. Key cross-cultural competencies pertinent to the military advisor are identified and include understanding the cross-cultural teaching/advising relationship, culturally relevant curriculum and methods, cross-cultural communication, and effective cross-cultural assessment. The report also includes a discussion of structural barriers to effective advising, and recommendations for developing a cross-cultural teaching and training curriculum for Soldiers.