Base protection & civ-infrastructure

As the US. House and Senate work to complete defense appropriations and the National Defense Authorization Act, they need to prioritize resilience efforts at military installations and surrounding communities, writes John Conger in an opinion piece for the Defense One website on Nov. 4. (Conger is director of the Center for Climate and Security, and a former Principal Deputy Defense Undersecretary (comptroller).) The National Defense Strategy published in 2018 declares that the “homeland is no longer a sanctuary.” The U.S. can’t assume that military installations can consider themselves free from harm, especially as technological advances allow service members on bases to have direct impacts in war zones. The Pentagon has been increasing its focus on installations to ensuring they will be able to continue operating even in the face of threats. NDS does not specify climate change as a threat, but it’s clear that Mother Nature imposed severe costs, such as the 2018 hurricane that devastated Tyndall AFB, Fla. DoD needs to widen its eyes to look for vulnerabilities beyond the fence line that may impose risks. Over time, communities have become indispensable to their bases by providing electricity, water and wastewater services, housing, education, specialized medical capability, and emergency response. Most bases would not be able to function long without those local services. Both the House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act include new requirements for DoD to scrutinize each of its installations for vulnerabilities. One critical program Congress has not yet funded is the Defense Civilian Infrastructure Program (DCIP), created last year to fund improve community infrastructure that benefits installations. Bases cannot assume they can be an island and continue to function unimpeded. Civilian communities are true partners, proud of their roles in supporting their military neighbors. DoD can – and should - work with them to address resilience together, to their mutual benefit. (Source: Defense One Commentary 11/04/19) NAS Whiting Field, Fla., and the Santa Rosa County Commission. has been among the more effective in providing protective measures of any base in the nation to keep NASWF’s primary aviation training intact. https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2019/11/protecting-us-bases-increasingly-means-hardening-civilian-infrastructure/161061/