ABSTRACT
As the Marines Corps engages in diverse operations that range from peacekeeping to disaster relief in diverse locations around the world, the quality of the relationships that Marines build with people, both in and out of uniform, is critical to mission success. Marines need to be able to work effectively with people from cultures that may be significantly different from their own. The Marine Corps has developed the concept of “Operational Culture” to define and describe the cross-cultural knowledge and skills that are needed for Marines to operate effectively anywhere in the world. The goal is for Marines to develop the concepts and skills with which to “read” any culture.
