FAOs/CMOCs by any other name. Try this one:
HTS Mission
Background
• HTS was developed in response to identified gaps in commanders’ and staffs’ understanding of the local population and culture, and its impact on operational decisions; and poor transfer of specific socio-cultural knowledge to follow-on units.
• The HTS approach is to place the expertise and experience of social scientists and regional experts, coupled with
reach-back (historical???), open-source research, directly in support of deployed units engaging in full-spectrum operations.
• HTS informs decision making at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels.
• The HTS program is the first time that social science research, analysis, and advising has been done systematically, on a large scale, and at the operational level. We advise brigades on economic development, political systems, tribal structures, etc; provide training to brigades as requested; and conduct research on topics of interest to the brigade staff. HTS does not conduct lethal targeting, manage infrastructure projects, or provide schoolhouse pre-deployment cultural training.
HTS Values and Beliefs
• HTS believes that achieving national security objectives is dependent on understanding the societies and cultures in which we are engaged.
• HTS also believes that the use of social science is necessary to and legitimate in military operations.
• By developing an understanding of the societies and cultures in which we are engaged, HTS believes that the U.S. military can reduce the need for and negative repercussions of lethal force.
HTS Mission Statement
• The HTS Mission is to provide commanders in the field with relevant socio-cultural understanding necessary to meet their operational requirements.
http://humanterrainsystem.army.mil/
Richard's $.02
