Marines and Gurkhas study Pashto and Afghan cultural mores
13 Jan 10
To improve operational effectiveness on the ground in Afghanistan, Royal Marines from 40 Commando have been hosting Pashto language and Afghan cultural awareness courses at their base in Taunton.
Royal Marines of 40 Commando at the STANTA Afghan Training Village in Thetford in preparation for their upcoming tour of Afghanistan this year
[Picture: LA(Phot) Si Ethell, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]
In December 2009 the advanced 'functional-level' Pashto language and cultural course reached its climax and the students took their final exams.
Run at the 40 Commando Royal Marines base in Taunton, the full-time, 40-week language course focused on speaking, reading, writing and culture.
Pashto is the major dialect of the Helmand region in Afghanistan and the course is part of a sustained effort to create better understanding, communications and relations between International Security Assistance Force troops and the Afghanistan public.
One student, Marine Karl Haoee, said:
"Learning the language [Pashto] could save lives, yours or theirs… I hope it will change attitudes on both sides."
Pashto is an extremely difficult language to learn since its structure is completely different from English. For example, you read from the right to the left (the opposite to English) and a completely different manuscript and alphabet are used.
It appears far more pictorial than the Arabic letters English-speakers are used to.
Marine Ryan O'Regan of 40 Commando on the Pashto language course
[Picture: LA(Phot) Si Ethell, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]
Competition for places on the language courses is extremely fierce due to the limited number of courses run; set by the low numbers of qualified instructors available in the UK who teach Pashto.
All candidates who volunteer for the courses sit a military language aptitude test to ascertain their suitability for studying Pashto.
At 40 Commando Royal Marines two courses are taught concurrently. Firstly, there is a ten-week course which has 14 students and aims to bring students up to a 'survival-level' of speaking and listening.
Secondly, there is a 40-week course which has eight students, six from 40 Commando Royal Marines and two from the Gurkhas. Students on this course aim to reach an advanced 'functional-level' in speaking and listening and a 'survival-level' in written.
In exercises these language students play prominent roles in talking to Afghan villagers, acting as interpreters and translators.
Marine and language student Ryan O'Regan said:
"Being able to communicate with the Afghans will make our jobs easier and safer.
"It will also allow the people to approach us more... to be less scared."
Royal Marines of 40 Commando at the Afghan Training Village in Thetford as part of their six-week Afghan cultural awareness training package
[Picture: LA(Phot) Si Ethell, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]
Further, students play an instrumental role in understanding the Afghan culture and teaching others how to best communicate effectively with locals.
This cultural understanding and respectful behaviour is vital for growing trusting relationships with local Afghans. This is why cultural awareness packages are part of the training given to all members of 40 Commando Royal Marines.
A number of Marines participated in a series of intensive Afghan cultural awareness training packages over the last six weeks of 2009.
The aim of the cultural awareness packages is to educate and train all ranks about Pashtunwali - the traditional lifestyle of the Pashtun people.
The majority of training is delivered by Afghan nationals. The Marines of 40 Commando received an education into the cultural values, beliefs and perceptions of the Afghan people.
These cultural training packages attempt to enable the Marines to learn how the Afghan people would like to be treated by them.
Marine Ryan O'Regan of 40 Commando studies traditional Afghan dress during one of the Afghan cultural awareness training packages
[Picture: LA(Phot) Si Ethell, Crown Copyright/MOD 2009]
Course organisers say that learning to empathise with the Afghan people can only aid relationships and increase the levels of co-operation experienced with the Afghanistan people.
The course tutor, who wishes to remain anonymous, said:
"It simply is not good enough for the troops to grow a beard, smile and be polite.
"We must truly understand the Afghanistan people and their culture to be effective in creating security for the development of Afghanistan."
The unit's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Paul James, added:
"For 40 Commando to be successful in our mission it is crucial for all ranks to fully understand and to be able to relate to the Afghan people."
To further increase understanding, the final touches to the scale model of a small Afghan compound/village are underway at 40 Commando's base where training and demonstration of cultural consideration will be held.