Hearts and minds-intercultural awareness and the military Modern armed forces realise that to operate successfully in the Fourth Generation Warfare (4GW), intercultural awareness is a crucial tactic in the "war on terror ". Indeed, wining the "hearts and minds" of the local community is not achieved simply through a “boots on the ground” presence. Lengthy deployments of troops to hot spots overseas are fast becoming the norm an engagement with the local population on an almost daily basis for peacekeepers (strategic corporals) demands the development and display of intercultural skills of the highest order if missions are, ultimately, to be successful. However, a few lessons focusing on the cultural differences to be expected when serving overseas are simply not enough. Intercultural awareness training is taken very seriously indeed. Soldiers must learn that it is only natural that, when in a new cultural environment, they will experience a certain degree of conflict between their own culture and the values, beliefs and norms of the host culture, which can create insecurity on both sides. It is, therefore, imperative that soldiers achieve cultural literacy. They must understand and appreciate their own belief, behaviours, values and norms but should also be sensitised as to how these might impact on and affect other cultures' views especially in today's 4GW environments. What, then, might soldiers expect to learn during intercultural awareness training? Courses should include sessions on cultural stereotyping, direct and indirect styles of communication, stages of cultural awareness, nonverbal communication, tolerating linguistic ambiguity, group versus individualistic cultures, perceptions of time and cultural behaviour codes. When posted abroad, soldiers must be taught to distinguish between 3GW and 4Gw mindsets and must be able to move effortlessly, almost subconsciously, between one and the other. They must be ready to fight, but they must also adopt the mindset of the strategic corporal who understands the potentially far-reaching effects of a single word or action. Indeed, in 4GW situations overseas, soldiers will most likely be better equipped and armed than local, armed entities, so fighting would be to their disadvantage at the moral level as it is more important not to kill the wrong people than to kill armed opponents. The situation could arise where the family of an innocent individual who is accidentally killed by a soldier are required by local culture to avenge the death. 6. Which statements are true for modern armed forces to win the war on terror?