Dr. Montgomery McFate is a cultural anthropologist at the U.S. Naval War College who was selected by The Atlantic as one of its "Brave Thinkers" in November 2009. This recognition was for her work as senior social scientist on the Pentagon-funded Human Terrain System program, which aimed to help U.S. soldiers better understand the social and cultural environments in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. The program helped develop an understanding of common scenarios that had led to deadly consequences due to cultural misunderstandings. Over the years, the Human Terrain System program has been credited with creating a more culturally aware military and reducing violence in some cases.

1. Dr. McFate’s Selection as One
of The Atlantic’s “Brave
Thinkers”
Montgomery McFate

2. Dr. McFate’s Selection as One of The
Atlantic’s “Brave Thinkers”
Dr. Montgomery McFate is a cultural anthropologist who engages on issues of defense and
national security at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. In November 2009,
Dr. Montgomery McFate’s work as Human Terrain System (HTS) project senior social scientist
was recognized by The Atlantic, which selected her as one of its “Brave Thinkers.”

3. Dr. McFate’s Selection as One of The
Atlantic’s “Brave Thinkers”
Selection for this recognition related to her success with the Pentagon-funded HTS program in
enabling U.S. soldiers to understand the tricky social and cultural terrain in hotspots such as
Afghanistan and Iraq. Dr. McFate helped develop the idea of HTS, some of which is discussed
in a 2005 Joint Force Quarterly paper. Common scenarios often had deadly consequences,
such as drivers failing to stop as directed at checkpoints, which would result in U.S. personnel,
afraid of suicide bombing, opening fire on the vehicle. Iraqis did not understand US hand
signals and soldiers did not understand Iraqi behavior. Over the years, the HTS program has
been credited in creating a more culturally aware military and in some cases reducing the
level of violence.