viiINTRODUCTION
In a world that has finite resources and is increasingly
experiencing high competition for these resources, the
military has embraced sustainability as both a vital strate-
gic security element and as a mission enabler. This book
addresses how security organizations throughout the
world are or could be approaching sustainability. Mili-
tary forces must have the land, air, water, and energy/fuel
to train and operate today, and into the future. How can
these resources be assured, how can conflict over scarce
resources be avoided and when can cooperation over re-
sources issues be used to promote peace? Sustainability
is a powerful concept being readily applied by both the
business and international affairs communities. Many of
the sustainable practices the military is either currently
applying or seeking to institutionalize are modeled after
a growing number of corporations that aim for continual
improvement, to gain a competitive edge in globalized
markets, and ultimately long term success. Sustainability
is further providing a platform for multi-state coopera-
tion on transnational resource issues.
Mission accomplishment is the true determinant of
military success or failure. Corollary benefits of sustain-
ability include: reducing risk to our war fighters; readi-
ness enhancement and sustainment; increased efficiency;
reduced operational and total life cycle costs; a reduction
in environmental and logistics footprints; and, enhancing
the quality of life for soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines,
families, and surrounding communities.
This book explores the sustainability concept at the
strategic, operational and tactical levels. At the strategic
level the book explores the importance of focusing inter-
national and national priorities on identifying and pre-
serving the resource base necessary to maintain security
and stability and discusses the importance of proactively
mitigating threats to these resources. At the operational
level it examines the great savings that can be achieved