POC: For inquiries regarding this work, please contact Dr. Robert Popp (rpopp@nsiteam.com).  

Description: HTS was an operational program managed by the Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) designed to dramatically improve the gathering, interpretation, understanding, operational application, and sharing of local cultural knowledge to deployed units at the Brigade Combat Team (BCT) and higher echelons. HTS uses open-source cultural research to fill a large operational decision-making support gap, namely, BCTs lacking the operationally relevant cultural knowledge base, and expert staff necessary to optimize their military decision making process (MDMP). Understanding local cultural, political, social and economic factors is crucial to successful counter-insurgency and stability operations. HTS is comprised of Human Terrain Teams (HTTs), a CONUS-based Reach-back Research Center (RRC), a Subject Matter Expert network, and a socio-cultural toolkit. The toolkit is designed to support HTT and RRC operations by assembling, analyzing, archiving and applying socio-cultural data relevant to the BCT.

NSI supported the Army Human Terrain System (HTS) program in numerous ways: we served as Senior S&T advisor to the program manager, as development oversight of the socio-cultural toolkit, providing training support and as part of the assessment team. In addition, NSI provided data collection and analysis services in support of the Human Terrain System program evaluation process. Services provided include design of the DOTMLPF assessment framework; design of observation protocols, interview specifications, and survey instruments; on-site observation and data collection at client sites in Iraq and Afghanistan; qualitative and quantitative analysis of observation, interview, and survey results; and DOTMLPF recommendations for program enhancements.