US Army Releases 1st Annual Sustainability Report

Focus on Defense:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2008 -- Yesterday U.S. Army officials released the service's first Annual Sustainability Report highlighting environmental achievements and milestones supporting the Army's sustainability concept and goals. The purpose of an annual sustainability report is to inform and engage primary stakeholders, partners, the American people, and other interested parties on the Army's progress to embody the principles of sustainability in operations, installations, systems and community engagements.

"By nature, the Army is constantly looking for new ways to promote strength and stability in everyday operations. The Army 2007 Sustainability Report outlines what the Army has done to incorporate sustainability in that effort," said GEN Peter W. Chiarelli, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army.

The report explains that Army sustainability is a long-range concept that enables the Army to meet its mission today and into the future while integrating mission activities and operations with sound business and environmental practices. Army sustainability, characterized by the "Triple Bottom Line - Plus" results from the reinforcing strength that results from aligning Army's mission with environmental stewardship and community well being, plus the economic benefit accrued from increased stability.

Mission outputs come first in the report, and include increases in retention and recruiting in fiscal year (FY) 2007. Environmental highlights document that all Army installations are now using Environmental Management Systems that provide a better mechanism to track and improve Army's environmental performance. The Army's efforts to strengthen its community through safety of Soldiers and Civilians, held the line from FY 2004 to FY 2007 on the Army's military fatality rate, and recorded a 62 percent decrease in Army civilian lost time to injuries and fatalities over the FY 2004-FY 2007.

"This report highlights the Army's current accomplishments in sustainability, while setting a baseline from which we will measure all accomplishments in the future," noted Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations and Environment Keith E. Eastin.

The Army's mantra is to "Build Green, Buy Green and Go Green," and it is doing just that. In FY 2007, 78 percent of new Army military construction projects were designed to U.S. Green Building Council leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) standards; and an 8.4 percent reduction in facility energy use intensity since FY 2003.

Tad Davis, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Environmental, Safety and Occupational Health commented "The results we are now seeing from the Army's advancement of environmental programs and initiatives directly support the well-being of our Soldiers, Civilians, Families and communities."

The report and other information on Army sustainability programs and initiatives are available online to download at http://www.aepi.army.mil/.

(Story from a U.S. Army news release.)

Related: Army Sustainability Report 2007 (pdf)

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