Green Warriors Army Environmental Considerations for Contingency Operations from Planning Through Post-Conflict

by Mosher, David E.; Lachman, Beth E.; Greenberg, Michael D.; Nichols, Tiffany; Rosen, Brian

• ISBN13: 9780833043184
• ISBN10: 0833043188
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-11-25
• Publisher: RAND Corporation

Summary

"This study assesses whether existing policy, doctrine, and guidance adequately address environmental activities in post-conflict military operations and reconstruction. Findings are based on reviews of top-level policy and doctrine, analysis of operational experience, extensive interviews with diverse Army personnel, and a review of operational documentation and literature. From these sources, a database of 111 case studies was created." "The research showed that environmental concerns can have far-reaching and significant impacts on the Army, both direct and indirect, especially in terms of cost, current operations, soldier health, diplomatic relations, reconstruction activities, and the ultimate success of the operation or the broader mission. Some evidence suggests that environmental problems may have even contributed to insurgency in Iraq. Recommendations include updating current policy and doctrine to fully address environmental considerations in contingency operations; ensuring that contractors are carefully selected and managed; and transmitting proactive field environmental practices and lessons throughout the Army."--BOOK JACKET.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. iii
Sponsor Guidance	p. v
Figures	p. xi
Tables and Boxes	p. xiii
Summary	p. xv
Acknowledgments	p. xix
Acronyms	p. xxi
Introduction	p. 1
Background	p. 1
Why Should Commanders Care About Environmental Issues in Contingency Operations?	p. 5
Environmental Issues Can Affect Soldier Health and Safety	p. 5
Environmental Issues Can Affect Mission Success	p. 6
Long-Term Deployments Amplify the Importance of Environmental Issues	p. 10
The Importance of "Doing the Right Thing"	p. 11
The Challenge of Incorporating Environmental Considerations into Contingency Operations	p. 12
Purpose and Methodology of This Report	p. 13
Structure of This Report	p. 15
The Context for Environmental Considerations in Contingency Operations	p. 17
Principal Areas of Interaction with the Environment	p. 17
Achieving Strategic Objectives	p. 17
Conducting Tactical Operations	p. 18
Sustaining Forces	p. 18
Providing Humanitarian Assistance	p. 20
Conducting Stabilization and Reconstruction Operations	p. 20
Domestic and International Legal Context	p. 21
Policy Context	p. 25
Presidential Orders and DoD Directives and Regulations	p. 27
Joint Staff and Army Regulations and Guidance	p. 34
The Army Strategy for the Environment	p. 50
Summary of the Policy Context	p. 53
Operational Context	p. 53
Duration of the Operation	p. 54
Objectives and Nature of the Operation	p. 54
Involvement of Other Stakeholders	p. 57
The Environmental Context	p. 59
Severe Degradation of the Local Environment	p. 59
The Importance of Environmental Conditions to the Local Populace	p. 62
Environmental Issues in Contingency Operations Significantly Different from Issues in the United States	p. 66
Experience with Environmental Considerations in Contingency Operations	p. 67
Planning and Guidance in the Field	p. 67
Environmental Considerations in Operation Planning: Annex L	p. 68
Regional Guidance	p. 70
Army Activities in the Field	p. 71
Base Camps	p. 72
Stability and Reconstruction	p. 75
Movement of Forces and Materiel	p. 75
Different Field Activities Have Different Environmental Considerations	p. 76
Training for Field Operations	p. 76
Environmental Issues in Operational Experience: Case Studies	p. 77
Case Studies of Contingency-Operation Activities with Environmental Concerns	p. 78
Impact Analysis	p. 81
Analysis of Army Operational Experience	p. 95
Environmental Considerations Have a Broad Range of Far-Reaching Impacts	p. 96
Impacts Across Many Dimensions	p. 96
Impacts Across Many Organizations Inside and Outside the Army	p. 98
Impacts in May Geographic Areas	p. 99
The Army Is Involved in Many Diverse Reconstruction Activities with Environmental Components	p. 101
Insufficient Resources Are Available to Fully Address Environmental Issues	p. 102
Contractors Must Be Carefully Selected and Managed	p. 106
Collaboration with Stakeholders Is Beneficial and Critical	p. 109
Proactive Environmental Practices and Lessons Are Not Being Transferred to Other Parts of the Army	p. 112
Country-Specific Conditions and Needs Should Be Considered	p. 114
Short- and Long-Term Considerations Need to Be Balanced	p. 116
Environmental Problems May Contribute to Insurgency Problems	p. 119
Findings and Recommendations	p. 121
Findings	p. 121
Environmental Issues Can Have a Significant Impact on Operations	p. 122
Environmental Considerations Can Be Particularly Important for Success in the Post-Conflict Phase	p. 123
Environmental Considerations in Contingency Operations Are Significantly Different from Those in Normal Operations in the United States	p. 124
Environmental Issues Can Have Far-Reaching Impacts Across Operations, Army Organizations, and the World	p. 125
Inadequate Environmental Practices in Contingency Operations Can Increase Risks and Costs	p. 126
The Army Could Improve Its Understanding of Environmental Considerations and Better Incorporate Them into Plans and Operations	p. 126
The Army Has No Comprehensive Approach to Environmental Considerations in Contingencies, Especially in the Post-Conflict Phase	p. 128
Recommendations	p. 130
Improve the Policy and Guidance for Environmental Considerations in Contingency Operations	p. 131
Encourage an Environmental Ethic Throughout the Army That Extends to Contingency Operations	p. 133
Better Incorporate Environmental Considerations into Planning	p. 133
Improve Pre-Deployment and Field Environmental Training	p. 137
Invest More in Environmental Resources and Good Environmental Practices for Field Operations	p. 140
Use a "Sustainability" Model for Contingency Operations	p. 144
Conclusion	p. 144
Appendix
Domestic and International Law in Army Contingency Operations	p. 147
The Importance of Environmental Conditions to the Local Populace in Iraq	p. 173
Case Studies of Operational Experiences	p. 191
Glossary of Selected Environmental Terms	p. 215
Bibliography	p. 219
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