Sustainability

What does the Army have planned? Why is this important? Read more about it.

What is it?

Building and maintaining the sustainable installation is one of the most challenging tasks facing the Army today. The Army has worked hard to establish a record of environmental compliance and stewardship on its properties. Urban sprawl has caused local civilian communities and Army installations to exist in closer vicinities, putting stress on both communities. On top of that, the Army has experienced an increase in its maneuver/training and equipment testing requirements. And, as has been the case historically, deteriorating natural resources, funding uncertainties, aging infrastructure, and other variables still challenge the Army's ability to maintain mission readiness while being a model steward of the environment.

What has the Army done?

Dozens of installations (see success stories) are developing integrated strategies that engage all stakeholders to ensure the long-term viability of their installations. They are positioning themselves to continue their proud record of service to our nation.

What does the Army have planned?

The Army's sustainability vision provides the transformational approach for operating successfully under these increasingly challenging conditions. It was developed to provide the Army with a systems approach to the triple bottom line of mission, environment, and community.

The Army adapts the triple bottom line to its national security mission in its "mission, community, and environment" paradigm. It promulgates six goals to successfully meet the Army's triple bottom line.

The goals of the Army's sustainability strategy are as follows:

Foster a sustainability ethic: Foster an ethic within the Army that takes us beyond environmental compliance to sustainability.
Strengthen Army operations: Strengthen Army operational capability by reducing our environmental footprint through more sustainable practices.
Meet test, training, and mission requirements: Meet current and future training, testing, and other mission requirements by sustaining land, air, and water resources.
Minimize impacts and total ownership costs: Minimize impacts and total ownership costs of Army systems, material, facilities, and operations by integrating the principles and practices of sustainability.
Enhance well-being: Enhance the well-being of our Soldiers, civilians, families, neighbors, and communities through leadership in sustainability.
Drive innovation: Use innovative technology and the principles of sustainability to meet user needs and anticipate future Army challenges. These goals were derived from the Army Strategy Map and all six goals support the Army's four overarching integrated goals.

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Why is this important?

The Army recognizes that incorporating sustainability consideratinos into our operations, acquisitions, and installations will help reduce our resource demands while preserving current and future operational flexibilty. The implementation of sustainability principles and practices produces benefits that reach into our operations, our people, and our institution. These sustainability principles and practices decrease future mission constraints while enhancing our mission capability and resilience. Conservation of energy, water, and waste contribute to the preservation of the natural environment while safeguarding human health. Meanwhile, these benefits are achieved at a cost the Army can afford now and in the future.

(Gen. Lloyd J. Austin, III, former Vice Chief of Staff of the Army
and Joseph Westphal, former Under Secretary of the Army)

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Sustainability