Interview with Brad Trainor, May 22, 2015

Partial Transcript: Hi, I'm Brad Trainor.

Segment Synopsis: After briefly mentioning being born in Kentucky and raised in Tennessee, Trainor talks about how his interest in foreign cultures led him to teach English in China for several years. Trainor discusses returning to the United States and completing graduate programs in diplomacy and cultural anthropology at the University of Kentucky and Wayne State University. He also talks about the teachers and authors who were important to him in his development as an anthropologist.

Keywords: China; Foreign cultures; Graduate programs; Kentucky; Tennessee; Youth

Subjects: Anthropologists' writings.; Anthropologists.; Anthropology students; Anthropology.; Applied anthropology.; Diplomacy.; Ethnology.; University of Kentucky; Wayne State University

Partial Transcript: And I know you worked on--was it an oil rig?

Segment Synopsis: Trainor talks about how the difficulties in trying to find a job when he completed his academic studies resulted in him working for several years on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. He discusses how he was later employed in the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and relates some of his experiences working in the evaluations department and on a veterans hospital project.

Keywords: Evaluations; Government Accountability Office; Government employment; Oil rigs

Subjects: Depressions.; Mexico, Gulf of.; Oil well drilling rigs.; Veterans' hospitals.

Partial Transcript: So, why don't you talk to me about, um, another place that you worked?

Segment Synopsis: Trainor talks about working in program and policy evaluation for the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) for one year. He explains that he mostly worked in the U.S., but made a couple trips to Afghanistan. Trainor discusses his experiences with the organization's projects and some of the problems that he encountered.

Keywords: Data collection; Funding; Policy evaluation; Private contractors; Program evaluation; Roads

Subjects: Afghanistan.; US military forces; United States. Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

Partial Transcript: Let's go on to, um, the Human--let's see. Where is it? The Human Terrain job that you had.

Segment Synopsis: Trainor talks about working as a social scientist for the Human Terrain System (HTS) in different parts of Afghanistan for two one-year periods. He discusses the goals and structure of the organization and his typical duties and responsibilities, which included conducting street interviews and working on needs assessments for the local populace.

Keywords: Advising; Civilians; Decision making; Human Terrain System; Interviews; Needs assessments

Subjects: Afghanistan.; Anthropologists; Ghaznī (Afghanistan); Kandahār (Afghanistan); Social scientists.; US military forces

Partial Transcript: Let me just give a, a couple--

Segment Synopsis: Trainor talks about some of the work that he was involved with in Kandahar, Afghanistan during his first period in the country while employed by the Human Terrain System (HTS). Trainor discusses one of the projects that he believes was his most successful: helping impoverished Kuchis (Kochis) nomads gain access to water. He talks about the problems that he encountered, the ways that he addressed the Kuchis' needs, and the threat of the Taliban.

Keywords: Human Terrain System; Interviews; Key leader engagement; Local government; Needs assessment; Networking; U.S. military officers

Subjects: Afghanistan.; Kandahār (Afghanistan); Social scientists.; Taliban.; US military forces

Partial Transcript: And then my other big triumph, that--or, where I felt like I had made a, a contribution.

Segment Synopsis: Trainor talks about another successful project that he worked on during his first period in Afghanistan while employed by the Human Terrain System (HTS). He explains the problems that a large village in the Arghandab River Valley was experiencing and the ways that he tried to help them, particularly by getting them an emergency school.

Keywords: Human Terrain System; Interviews; Local populace; Needs assessment; Schools

Subjects: Afghanistan.; Arghandab River Valley (Afghanistan); Social scientists.; Taliban.; US military forces

Partial Transcript: Uh, w--you--did you feel like you trained the troops in anthropology in any way?

Segment Synopsis: Trainor talks about not providing training in anthropology to the American troops in Afghanistan and instead mainly focusing on applied work. He discusses how he unofficially taught some of the U.S. intelligence officers by helping give them a more balanced understanding of the locals and the leader of a village in the Arghandab River Valley.

Keywords: American soldiers; Informal teaching; Intelligence officers

Subjects: Afghanistan.; Anthropologists; Arghandab River Valley (Afghanistan); US military forces

Partial Transcript: When I went back the second time, they were kind of, uh, lowering the level of commitment on, on, on the way towards, uh, pulling out...

Segment Synopsis: Trainor talks about the projects that he was involved with in his second period in Afghanistan while working for the Human Terrain System. He discusses the training that he received from the U.S. military, the minimal level of repertoire that he was able to develop with locals, and the protections that he received from the troops. Trainor also talks about his perceptions of the value of the work that he was engaged in.

Keywords: Evaluations; Human Terrain System; Local populace; Military training; Repertoire

Subjects: Afghanistan.; Social scientists.; US military forces

Partial Transcript: Here is a question for you, why do you think some anthropologists are conflicted about practicing anthropologists working in the HTS field work?

Segment Synopsis: Trainor talks about the reasons that he believes some anthropologists have problems with practicing anthropologists working with the military and other types of fieldwork. He discusses the differing ethical standards applied to different types of anthropology and what he believes are the problems with certain forms of reasoning.

Keywords: Contention; Convictions; Ethical standards; Ethics; Human Terrain System

Subjects: Anthropologists.; Anthropology research and developments; Anthropology--Fieldwork.; Anthropology--Philosophy.; Anthropology.; Applied anthropology.; US military forces

Partial Transcript: On the whole, you know, when I went through the school of HTS, they taught--they had a couple days on ethics.

Segment Synopsis: Trainor talks about the undeveloped ethical policies of the Human Terrain System (HTS), how he was never forced to violate his ethics, and any minor issues that did arise did not become serious. He admits that his work may have been used by intelligence officers, but feels that his work was not applicable, as HTS focused on the civilian populace, non-Taliban related. Trainor also discusses how everyone had different experiences and the complications of the ethical subject.

Keywords: Convictions; Ethical policies; Ethical standards; Ethics; Human Terrain System; Intelligence officers; Principles

Subjects: Afghanistan.; Anthropologists; Social scientists.; Taliban; US military forces

Partial Transcript: You, you asked about danger.

Segment Synopsis: Trainor talks about the dangers that he encountered while working for the Human Terrain System (HTS) while in Afghanistan. He particularly discusses the frequent attacks that occurred on the base in Ghazni that he was stationed at during his second period in Afghanistan. Trainor also talks about hearing about the deaths of people who he knew and reflects that he is glad not to have to go back to Afghanistan because of the increased violence.

Keywords: Casualties; Dangers; Human Terrain System; Rocket attacks; Suicide attacks

Subjects: Afghanistan.; Ghaznī (Afghanistan); Social scientists.; Taliban; US military forces

Partial Transcript: The only other question, if you feel like answering, is what lessons learned related to the application do you care to share?

Segment Synopsis: Trainor talks about the lessons that he learned in his career in Afghanistan and the advice that he would give to a young anthropologist. He explains the difficulties of practicing social science in a war zone environment and how the key is to make the best of the situation. He also talks about the importance of ethics in anthropological training and the important ways that anthropologists can improve the places that they are working at in war zones.

Keywords: Applied settings; Ethics training; Non-ideal situations

Subjects: Afghanistan.; Anthropologists.; Anthropology; Anthropology students; Applied anthropology.; Social sciences.; US military forces