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RELIGION AND THE CONTEMPORARY STRATEGIC
ENVIRONMENTCH (COL) BONNIE KOPPELL
807th Medical Command (Deployment Support)COMMAND CHAPLAIN
“Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy.”
Dr. Geert Hofstede(Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations - DPMSO)
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AGENDA
• Religion as an Aspect of Culture• Impact of Religion on Operational Environment• Role of the Chaplain• Soldier Leader Engagement /Religious Leader
Engagement • Freedom of Religion as US National Interest
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“Religion - the relatively modest dogma that God is not mad.”
— Salvador de Madariaga
What is Religion?
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NOTE: Religion ≠Spirituality
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Spirituality = Fostering the development of the spirit, seeking purpose
and meaning in life.
Religion = An institutional structure with defined beliefs and practices providing a methodology and community context for spiritual development.
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SO WHAT?
WHY DOES RELIGION MATTER?
WHY SHOULD IT MATTER TO YOU?
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Why Study Religion?“A fundamental requirement for military success is a sound understanding of the operational environment.
This requires a careful study of the geography, population, and culture (emphasis added).”
Joint Publication 3-0,”Joint Operations”, V-18
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RELIGION IS A FUNDAMENTAL ASPECT
OF CULTURE
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Religion influences the thoughts/behavior of individuals,
groups, and states.
Knowing the religious factors helps us understand the culture.
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“Religion (as) the preeminent factor defining civilization will play a
central role in any effective national security policy.”
Jonathan Shaw quoting Samuel P. Huntington, ”The Role of Religion in National Security Policy Since September 11, 2001,” p. 8
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Why is This So Hard?
"Because of the degree to which we as Americans separate our spiritual lives from our private lives, we
face a certain difficulty in comprehending the depths to which religions and political considerations interact in shaping the perceptions and motivations of individuals
from other societies.”
From D. Johnston - Religion, The Missing Dimension in Statecraft, p. 5
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Why Is This So Important?
“If there is any one lesson the last decade should have taught us, we cannot ensure our security through
unilateral action or by trying to impose our values on other states and peoples. If we cannot make
(Muslims) – as well as Buddhist, Hindus, and other faiths – our lasting partners, we will not only lose the struggles against counterterrorism, we will lose the
world.”
Anthony Cordesman
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A Few Examples
“From Russia, where fascists wrap themselves in the flag of Orthodox Christianity, to India, where Hindu
pogroms are carried out against Muslims, to the Middle East, where Iran promotes terror in the name
of Islam, the world looks with wonderment at the multiplying millions who seem eager to hurl themselves back into the twelfth century.”
Alan and Heidi Toffler, War and Anti-War, p. 218
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Combat Multiplier
In the past - “Few American military personnel could be said to have demonstrated much cultural awareness, much less an interest in acquiring it.”
What we have learned - “The more these (front-line) troops know about the local culture, the greater the chance that they will develop relationships that will prove useful to mission accomplishment.”
Lawrence Yates, The U.S. Military’s Experience in Stability Operations, 1789-2005, 32
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Religious perspectives impact:
• Values• Centers of Gravity• Objectives
Understanding the religious factors in the operational environment enables us to see the world through their eyes, not ours.
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Be Aware Of:
1. Worship, rituals, customs, and practices of JIIM Force and religious accommodation requirements.
2. Worship, rituals, customs, leaders, history, religious sites, beliefs, and practices of the indigenous populations.
3. Relationships among indigenous groups as impacted by religious factors.
4. The role of religious minorities in the operational environment.
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• Can be POSITIVE or NEGATIVE
• Can HELP or HINDER mission
• Can STABILIZE or DESTABILIZE legitimate government
ATP 1-05.03 (1-6)
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Impact of Religion
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Joint Publication 1-05 Religious Support
• Two major Chaplain responsibilities - religious advisement and religious support
• Religious advisement – focus on the impact of religion on joint operations
• Chaplains provide religious advisement consistent with their noncombatant status
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Chaplain Products
Chaplains may prepare:
• RIA- Religious Impact Assessment
• RAA- Religious Area Analysis
• Running Estimate as the Situation Evolves
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PMESII-PTChaplain will have input to the PMESII-PT operational analysis.
P - Political
M - Military
E - Economic
S - Social
I - Information
I - Infrastructure
P - Physical Environment
T - Time
(see ATP 1-05.03, A-1ff for religious considerations within PMESII-PT analysis)
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PPolitical
MMilitary
EEconomic
SSocial
IInfrastructure
IInformation
PPhysical Environ.
TTime
AAreas
Consider religious political associations of power and regional
affiliation; majority vs. minority religious
demographics
Consider host nation military
chaplains; where are religious
services held; what religions
Consider impact of physical /
spiritual devastation;
impact of desperate poor
on Soldiers
Religious social bazaars, festivals,
gatherings outdoor
assembly sites; routes to and
from
Religious communication
networks, sacred religious identity
tied to land
Religious International news groups,
word of mouth, Religious
statements
What is the geography like
around significant
religious areas; what will
Soldiers face/ endure
How much time will it take
to clear an area; how
many Soldiers required
SStructures
National/Provincial/District religious centers, religious assembly halls,
primary religious and education sites;
monasteries/gravesites
How do we acquire more
chaplains; how are they
assessed ; how are they
sustained
Consider loss of essential
services; swelling refugee camps;
organizing search, rescue and disposition
teams
What religious authorities
grant permission for
weddings, burials,
initiations, healing and
salvation
Consider routes to and from
sacred sites; security for
religious sites; structure security
Religious radio and T.V. towers, printing shops
What kind of terrain
surrounds significant
religious sites
Military chapel close/expand, development of host nation
Chaplain Corps
/partnerships
CCapabilities
Disputed religious political resolutions,
transcendent religious ideologies, International religious leadership ability to impact host nation
policy
What chaplaincy capabilities are required for this
mission; how capable are the UMTs; assess
resiliency
Consider Soldiers ability to cope
with trauma, loss, development of moral decisions
and distribute aid
What kind of influence do
religious societies
demonstrate; what are their capabilities
Ability to navigate repair\open roads, to
deliver essential services; distribute
needed aid
What % of religious
leaders are formally
trained; in what disciplines
How many people can a site manage; ease of
access; how many can a site accommodate
and safely secure
Illumination cycle, weather
impacts religious activities
OOrganizatio
ns
What Religious Political Groups,
International affiliations, and Faith Based Organizations
operate in AO
Consider external religious
coalitions and international
NGOsOperating in AO
How does host nation receive aid and distribute it to the populace; is it equitable;
how do Soldiers react
What are the influential
social organizations;
are they effective
What religious organizations/ ministries of
relief, faith-based NGOs in AO
Religious News organizations,
influential pulpits,
extremist views
How do religious groups
demonstrate care for ecology;
future generations
What religious organizations define sacred time, declare
holidays
PPeople
What Influential religious leaders,
councils, and religious educators;
financial contributors;
extremist leaders
Consider religious
demographics of military units; and populace;
how do we assess the
critical spiritual needs of Soldiers
Consider how host nation
religious groups are
funded/wages; how are they
dispersing and executing aid
Who are the Influential
social leaders, influencing families; are
they religious actors
Certified workers.
Security teams governmental oversight and approval for
repairing religious buildings
Religious Media owners,
prominent preachers,
elders, heads of family
How do religious leaders and
members show environmental
concern
When are religious leaders
appointed and for how long; how long can
Soldiers endure
EEvents
Religious global councils and
religious assemblies; provincial religious council meetings; religious festivals
Consider kinetic events, loss of Soldier/leader;
change in mission
Consider religious feasts;
visitations to religious sites and religious tourism and
associate values
What are the religious
festivals, high holidays, and sacred times;
where celebrated
Consider religious ground breaking events;
and respectful closing of sites
Religious service times,
renewal campaigns,
critical religious incidents
How does religion speak to
devastating weather and
natural disasters
Chronos and Kairos of the
days of recovery, seasonal events,
agricultural lifecycle events
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A Few Examples
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1.You are newly assigned to Afghanistan as part of a Combat Operational Stress Control team and are arranging a meeting with the local Imam. Heshould be seated:
A - Next to the highest ranking chaplain, who is female.B - Next to the highest ranking male leader.C - Next to the prettiest young woman.D - In closest proximity to the food.
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2. As part of the peacekeeping force in the
Sinai, you are meeting with an Israeli
counterpart who is an Orthodox Jew. You
should:
A - Plan the meeting for a Saturday when he is off work.
B - Serve bacon cheeseburgers.
C - Dress modestly.
D - Suggest the female Chaplain greet him with a warm
hug.
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3. You are deployed to India aspart of a peacekeeping force. You should:
A - Instruct your driver to honk and accelerate aggressively toward cattle to clear the road.B - Instruct your soldiers to avoid disturbing wildlife when possible, especially cows. C - Allow your soldiers to shoot at cattle for target practice.D - Invite village leaders to a steak barbeque at your compound.
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4. You are stationed in Japan as a
liaison officer. You should:
A - Leave some rice in your bowl when finishing a meal and
place your chopsticks vertically as a salute to your host’s
generosity.
B - Stomp your boots twice before entering a shrine to give
warning to evil spirits.
C - Help a colleague struggling with chopsticks by using
your chopsticks to help them grasp a slippery vegetable.
D - Wash your face and mouth in the purification fountain
and spit out the water before entering a Shinto shrine.
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5. You are training military doctorsin Algeria during Ramadan. You should:
A - Invite your Muslim colleagues to a lunchmeeting to discuss treatment strategies.B - Make sure tea and coffee are available inmeeting rooms during the day.C - Graciously accept an invitation to dinner aftersundown.D - Greet your Algerian counterparts in themorning with a gift of American chocolates and insist they try some.
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There are a myriad of ways we can offend!
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Communication SynchronizationEVERYTHING
we say or do sends a message!
What you MEAN to say may not be what is HEARD!
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The Tactical Meets the Strategic
• Where - Afghanistan• When - Spring 2012• What - US personnel take action to remove
Qurans that had been cut up and written in by detainees in order to communicate messages
• IMPACT - US Forces’ actions perceived as religious persecution rather than counter-insurgency effort
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Communication - Culturally Specific
“Acting without understanding our audiences can lead to critical misunderstandings with serious
consequences. Understanding subjective impacts of culture, language, history, religion, environment, and other factors is critical when crafting communication strategy for a relevant
population.”
USAWC, Information Operations Primer, AY13 Edition, 52
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What are your
experiences?
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Religious Leader EngagementChaplains will often be involved in liaison activities with both:
Indigenous Faith Group LeadersFaith-based NGO’s
Cultural sensitivity is critical.Lack of favoritism is critical.
MUST BE ORDED BY THE COMMANDER!
FM 1-05, Religious Support, 2-2
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Why?
Soldier and Leader Engagement support the goals of both:
• INFORMING and
• INFLUENCING key players in the OE.
(for further information, see FM 3-13: Inform and Influence Activities)
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Liaison Activity
1. Build mutual trust
2. Promote human rights
3. Develop appropriate command relationships within OA
(FM 1-05, 1-5)
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How?Premium on Listening
Be aware of own assumptions/biases
Understand cultural differences re: • Communication styles• Attitudes toward conflict• Approaches to completing tasks• Decision making styles• Attitudes toward personal disclosure• Approaches to knowing
(from Maxie McFarland, “Military Cultural Education,” 67ff)
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Religious Freedom: A National Security Priority
“The United States will continue to make the promotion of international religious freedom a
key national security and foreign policy priority for the United States, to advocate forcefully for these issues publically and privately, in both multilateral and bilateral
settings.”
Denis McDonough, Deputy National Security Advisor, 30 July 2012
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From Secretary of State Clinton• Religious freedom is an essential element of secure and
thriving societies
• There’s a big difference between democracy and the tyranny of the majority
• Religious freedom . . .is a bedrock priority of our foreign policy
• Freedom of thought, conscience, and religion are enshrined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights
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President Obama’s Vision:• Religion as a force for unity - cf the Golden
Rule, common commitment to love humanity, spread peace, and reject violence
• Religious diversity as the foundation of strong and vibrant societies - reward societies which evidence religious moderation
as summarized by Shaw, op. cit., 31-32
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“More than at any point in human history- the interests of nations and peoples are shared. The religious
convictions that we hold in our hearts can forge new bonds among people,
or tear us apart.”
President Barack Obama, United Nations General Assembly, September 22, 2009
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Multinational Social IntelligenceHISTORY AND CULTURE MATTER;
SO DOES LEADERSHIP!
“The burdens of governance require culturally astute leaders and joint forces capable of adapting to
nuances of religion, ethnicity, and a number of other considerations essential to success. The military
force should, consistent with security requirements, respect the religious celebrations and the legitimate
activities of religious leaders.”-
Joint Publication 3-07, “Stability Operations,” xxviii
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The Way Ahead:• EXPAND AND INCENTIVIZE…CULTURAL
TRAINING ACROSS THE FORCE (P. 12)
• EXPAND CULTURAL EXPERTISE IN ALL SERVICES (P. 31)
Decade of War, Vol. 1 - Enduring Lessons from the Past Decade of Operations, Joint and Coalition Operational Analysis, 15 June 2012
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This Means You!BE A CULTURALLY ASTUTE LEADER!
UNDERSTAND THE RELIGIOUS INFLUENCES IN YOUR OPERATIONAL
ENVIRONMENT!
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ReferencesClinton, Hillary. “Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on International
Religious Freedom.” Remarks at the Carnegie Endowment to mark therelease of the State Department’s International Religious FreedomReport for 2011, Washington, DC, July 30, 2012.http://carnegieendowment.org/2012/07/30/secretary-of-state-hillaryclinton-on-international-religious-freedom/d2no (accessed July 6, 2013).
Cordesman, Anthony H. “The Lessons and Challenges of September2011- the New ‘9/11.’” Center for Strategic & International Studies.http://csis.org/publication/lessons-and-challenges-september-2011-new911 (accessed July 6, 2013).
Johnston, D., Ed. Religion, The Missing Dimension in Statecraft. NewYork: Oxford University Press, 1994.
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References, Cont’d. Joint and Coalition Operational Analysis (JCOA). Decade of War,
Volume I: Enduring Lessons from the Past Decade of Operations. Suffolk, VA: Joint and Coalition Operational Analysis, June 15, 2012. http://blogs.defensenews.com/saxotech-access/pdfs/decade-of-war-lessons-learned.pdf (accessed July 6, 2013).
McFarland, Maxie. “Military Cultural Education.” Military Review 85, no. 2 (March-April 2005): 62-69.
Shaw, Jonathan. The Role of Religion in National Security Policy Since September 11, 2001. Carlisle Papers. Carlisle Barracks, PA: U.S. Army War College, February 2011.
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References, Cont’d.TRADOC Culture Center. https://ikn.army.mil/apps/tccv2/ (accessed
July 6, 2013).
Toffler, Alvin and Heidi. War and Anti-War: Survival at the Dawn of the Twenty-First Century. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1993.
Yates, Lawrence A. The US Military's Experience in Stability Operations, 1789-2005. Fort Leavenworth, KS: Combat Studies Institute Press, 2006.
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Military PublicationsU.S. Department of the Army. Army Chaplain Corps Activities. Army Regulation
165-1. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Army, December 3, 2009.
U.S. Department of the Army. Inform and Influence Activities. Field Manual 3-13. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Army, January 25, 2013.
U.S. Army War College. Information Operations Primer: Fundamentals of Information Operations. Carlisle Barracks, PA: U.S. Army War College, Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations & Center for Strategic Leadership, AY 2013 Edition.
U.S. Department of Defense. Joint Operations. Joint Publication 3-0. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense, August 11, 2011.
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Military Publications, Cont’d.U.S. Department of Defense. Religious Affairs in Joint Operations. Joint
Publication 1-05. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense, November 13, 2009.
U.S. Department of the Army. Religious Support. Field Manual 1-05. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Army, October 5, 2012.
U.S. Department of the Army. Religious Support and External Advisement. Army Techniques Publication 1-05.03. Washington, DC: May 3, 2013.
U.S. Department of Defense. Stability Operations. Joint Publication 3-07. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Defense, September 29, 2011.
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Special Thanks To:
MSG Steven Ferguson
2LT Marc DeLuca
CH (LTC) Robert Brady
CH (LTC) Ira Houck
CH (COL) Mike Dugal
CH (COL) Kenneth Sampson
CH (COL) Jonathan Shaw
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QUESTIONS?