Last month, in the wake of Hurricane Helen, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III ordered more than 1,500 active-duty soldiers to the XVIII Airborne Corps to assist with disaster response and recovery. Austin’s response augmented the thousands of National Guardsmen who were similarly mobilized to mitigate the hurricane’s devastating effects, pushing the military to the forefront of yet another climate emergency.

Hurricanes Helen and Hurricane Milton, which struck Florida’s Gulf Coast a week later, are the latest examples of natural disasters that are not only wreaking widespread havoc across the country but also underscore the growing strain that climate change crises are placing on the department. defense and national security. .

“Climate change is a national security issue, and we must treat it as such,” Austin noted during a January 2021 briefing on the department’s priorities. The increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters such as Helen and Milton are a stark reminder that military readiness is intertwined with the effects of a warming planet.

While disaster response remains a critical element of the Department of Defense’s mission to provide defense support to civilian authorities, President Joe Biden is looking beyond short-term problems to focus on long-term solutions that prioritize resiliency and resiliency.

On September 30, amid ongoing hurricane recovery efforts, President Biden issued a proclamation declaring October “National Clean Energy Action Month,” prompting the Department of Defense to renew its commitment to reducing carbon emissions. “Our nation is leading the fight against the existential threat of climate change,” Biden said. This October, Pentagon officials are celebrating the department’s shift toward environmentally conscious power generation and architecture.

On Wednesday, the Pentagon hosted a “Mission Ready through Modernization and Resilience” event that brought together renewable energy experts from Department of Defense units, Washington Headquarters Engineering and Architecture, local utilities and alternative energy groups.

The exhibit featured two frequently visited Pentagon buildings with visual displays and information kiosks championing the Department of Engineering and Architecture’s notable projects, including HVAC efficiency improvements, data center improvements, refrigeration upgrades, LED lighting, savings water, clean energy and electric vehicle technology. .

Exhibitors interacted with nearly 400 attendees, conducting stand-up seminars about their contributions to sustainable development, as well as promoting the Department of Defense’s 2024-2027 climate change adaptation plan.

Published in September, the 2024-2027 Climate Change Adaptation Plan ensures climate resilience “across all operations, planning activities, business processes and resource allocation decisions” and builds on the Department’s existing clean energy initiatives, including e.g. , a full-scale transition to electric energy. vehicles at sites such as the Pentagon reservation.

Accordingly, officials combined the building’s “Mission Readiness through Modernization and Sustainability” exhibit with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to highlight the Department’s commitment to a zero-emission vehicle fleet.

In front of a crowd of military personnel, civilian leaders and industry partners, Robert Salces, deputy director of WHS, commissioned ten new electric vehicle charging stations for non-tactical government vehicles in the building’s north parking lot, demonstrating timely and tangible progress in the spirit of national Clean Energy Action Month.

“These charging stations represent what we do as a nation,” Saleses said. “It’s amazing what’s happened in the last couple of years… we’ve been able to reduce energy consumption and reduce emissions.”

The 10 new stations are equipped with two ports each, capable of charging electric vehicles to 80% capacity in four to 10 hours and connecting hybrid electric vehicles in one to two hours. The installation of the northern parking zone is the first permanent infrastructure project in a pilot program to replace the Pentagon’s fleet of gasoline-powered vehicles.

Sellers emphasized the Pentagon’s role in spurring sustainability projects elsewhere in the Department of Defense. “This is a monumental 0 for… the Department,” he said. “The Pentagon is an iconic facility, and this charging infrastructure not only benefits the Department, but also sets a precedent for other federal agencies.”

Vendors credited the collaboration and several key leaders and partners for the success of the project. “It takes a lot of work to get to this point,” he admitted. “None of this can be done without a team, and it took a real team effort from everyone here to achieve this goal.”

Among those recognized was Damien Bryant, whose construction company, Signature Renovations, a minority-owned small business, partnered with the Department of Defense to complete the installation of the charging station. Signature Renovations’ emphasis on renewable energy and contributions to the Department’s sustainability initiatives are in the spirit of President Biden’s Sept. 30 proclamation, which combines environmentally conscious policies with economic growth.

“You’re bringing us into the 21st century,” Sayles told Bryant. “You are moving us to a more sustainable, net-zero emissions energy position, and we want to thank you for all you do every day.”

The new charging stations complement several existing clean energy platforms on the Pentagon reservation, including four stations serving the Mark Center parking garage and three off-grid solar arrays supporting the north parking lot. These efforts, as well as the initiatives featured in the Mission Ready through Modernization and Resilience exhibit, demonstrate the Department of Defense’s proactive approach to combating climate change.