The Rise and Decline of U.S Military Culture Programs

This project is intended to capture experiences and lessons learned during a remarkable time period, roughly 2004–2020, during which the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) experimented with a broad range of programs and initiatives related to culture. These programs were intended to improve military personnel’s capacity to understand and operate effectively within culturally complex environments. While most culture-related efforts focused on conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, especially during the early years, they also helped address a capability gap in missions around the globe