"We have learned many lessons over the last 10 years, but one of the most compelling is that - whether you are working among citizens of a country, or working with their government or Armed Forces - nothing is as important to your long term success as understanding the prevailing culture and values." Gen Ray Odierno, Army Live.

In March 2012, US Army Chief of Staff General Odierno announced an initiative to align brigades with each of the six global combatant commands (GCCs). This means committing Regular, Reserve, and National Guard units to generate individual soldiers and organisations trained, in languages, cultural awareness and local expertise, for specific regions of the world. Brigades are not assigned to a specific part of the world, but primed to deploy there, in smaller, platoon- and company-sized units, for training and advisory roles, as well as kinetic operations. Regionally aligned brigades will rotate annually; corps and division headquarters will not, writes Elayne Jude.