Modeling and Simulation for Cultural Training: Past, Present, and Future Challenges

The need for cultural training for military, diplomatic, and business persons who work among members of diverse societies outside their own personal experience has been established by numerous sources. Noting that cultural knowledge and warfare are inextricably bound, some experts believe that cultural training is a national security priority (McFate, 2005). According to General David Petraeus, knowledge of the cultural terrain can be as important as, or even more important than, knowledge of geographical terrain, leading to the suggestion that we must study culture in the same way that we study geography (Jager, 2007).