MILITARY OATH OF ALLEGIANCE – THE BRIDGE BETWEEN CULTURAL DIFFERENCES OF THE MILITARY PERSONNEL WORLDWIDE Valentina I. Georgieva N. Y. Vaptsarov Naval Academy Varna, Bulgaria Abstract: The paper discusses some issues of Intercultural Communication Training of the cadets, which is considered to be an important part of their English language training as it helps to bridge the cultural differences of the military personnel from different countries. Special emphasis is put on the role of the military Oath of Allegiance in developing the cadets’ group-culture and intercultural awareness. Some main characteristic features of military culture and common values of the military ethical code are presented. Key-words: military Oath of Allegiance, military culture/ values, Intercultural Communication Training (ITC), “inside-out” approach Introduction This paper aims at presenting some of the issues brought forth in the process of Intercultural Training of the cadets at the Naval Academy –Varna. The cadets have sworn their military Oath of Allegiance, which fact is going to affect their whole life. As future naval officers who will do their service in the Bulgarian Armed Forces, they are expected to perform in compliance with all the military regulations. Having in mind nowadays reality, political situation and the demands of the society, it is autСor’s opinion tСat tСe future officers аill participate at some moment of tСeir future execution of the military service in international peace support operations which necessitates developing their cultural awareness by applying the most appropriate teaching methods and thus preparing them better for their duties. General remarks on some up-to-date global matters The achievement of global peace by peoples from different countries, within the countries and from different cultures today seems if not impossible, a really very difficult task. It is of vital importance to foster our attempts to find the bridge between all those various ethnic, social, cultural, reliРious and beСavioural differences tСat cause todaв’s аorld problems. This can be achieved only by learning about each other and promoting acknoаledРment of “otСerness” bв beinР unprejudiced, non-judgmental and understanding. While these capacities and attitudes for intercultural communicating are being developed by different national and international governmental and non-governmental organizations, international political and military organizations, such as the UN and the NATO will play the key role in performing all the necessary actions for defending human rights and protecting the world peace. When sent on peacekeeping missions, the military work and communicate with troops from different countries – sometimes countries about wСicС tСeв don’t Сave enouРС knowledge. The most recent examples are with the Bulgarian troops sent on a mission to Afghanistan and the Bulgarian contingent at SFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the Bulgarians work in cooperation with the military from 33 different nationalities.