Compromising our Military

Pentagon planners have long known the potential cost of failing to attack and mitigate climate change. Of course, today, they cannot use the words “climate change’ in written correspondence for fear of retribution from President Trump and his staff.

This bullying of our finest men in our department of defense continues as military climate economic casualties mount. Since  September of last year three vital military installations have sustained extreme weather damage.

In September of 2018 Marine Camp Lejeune, NC took a direct hit by Hurricane Florence. Nearly 5,000 Marines and their dependents were displaced, and facilities were damaged. Plans to counter the inevitable invasion of mold were put into effect. The cost, to us, is estimated to be 3.6 billion.

In October of 2018 Cat 4 Hurricane Michael smashed head on into Tyndall Air Force Base. The Air Force reported the damage as, “catastrophic”, with all base facilities reported as, “unlivable”.  Prior to the storm’s arrival 33 of the world’s most expensive fighter jets were evacuated to Wright Patterson AFB, but 17 were left behind.  The extent of their damage is unreported.  The estimated storm damage, or our bill for Tyndall AFB hurricane damage is estimated to be 5 billion.

Last week the Headquarters of our Strategic Air Command were threatened by flooding. Previously constructed flood fortifications were breached. River flooding was rapid as reported by Offutt AFB facilities commander Col David Norton. “The speed at which it came up was shocking.”

 It was an all hands-on deck effort by our service members that kept damage to our critically strategic mid-continent headquarters in Nebraska to a minimum. If we are lucky, damage will be under a billion dollars.

 We have over 100 years of excellent climate science. The scientists have done their best to give us early warning. To be effective in a democracy, the citizen must be receptive listeners who can tell the difference between reputable scientists and mavericks. With that knowledge, the citizenry can elect smart politicians.

 When the weather fluctuates to cold, President Trump looks out on the south lawn and sees snow. He tweets to us that climate change is a hoax.  This is simplistically in error and totally misleading.

Worse yet, as commander and chief, he intimidates our military leaders. Planners now plan with one arm twisted behind their back. If they feel the duty to speak intelligently about climate change, they must weigh their sense of duty against jeopardizing their careers.

Today, only retired military officers can speak to us about basic science and the threat of climate change. Retired Rear Admiral Titley sums it up simply. Our whole Pentagon is caught between a rock and a hard place.

 

I am a retired military officer. Is this the USA? This unwarranted intimidation leads to degradation of essential military planning. 

 Admiral Titley was asked about the money being siphoned from military funds to build a southern border and if the military needs a wall. Yes, he noted, we need a wall, it is called a levee.

Note:  I have not covered the fact the world’s largest navy base in Norfolk, Va is threatened by sea-level rise. Climate change is marching up the beach unchallenged. The speed with which the seas surge and the point where it crests will be determined by us. The threat can only be met, if and only if, the citizenry knows enough science to elect competent politicians.

Two documentaries that examine climate change and the military: “The Burden” and, “The Age of Consequences”