ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

With more than 200,000 buildings on its installations around the world, the Army faces a maintenance backlog worth several billion dollars, according to a new report from the Congressional Budget Office. 

The report, which analyzed 49,000 of those buildings in use on 88 Army installations across the U.S., estimates that “the cost of eliminating the deferred maintenance backlog and returning the buildings to the Army’s standards would be about $19 billion.”

As climate change continues to impact many aspects of modern life, the Army must prepare for its effects on installations and operations, a panel of experts said during a discussion hosted by the Association of the U.S. Army.

Climate change is “a challenge that does not respect borders or boundaries, including the fence line of a military base,” said Sharon Burke, founder and president of Ecospherics and a former assistant secretary of defense for operational energy.

Army efforts to improve the resilience and security of its installations require close cooperation with contractors and communities, Lt. Gen. Jason Evans, deputy Army chief of staff for installations, said April 13.

Installations “are no longer a sanctuary,” Evans said. Instead, they would be considered part of the front line of future warfare. Preparing for this culture change requires a new breed of installation commander and staff who will need ongoing and up-to-date training, he said.

Army installations must prepare for increasing threats from nature and from America’s adversaries, a panel of experts said during an Association of the U.S. Army event.

Speaking about threats to critical infrastructure during an April 13 AUSA Hot Topic on installation management, the experts warned that threats are on the rise, and they are growing in complexity.

The modernization challenges the Army faces today underscore the need for installations built for the 21st century, said Paul Farnan, principal deputy assistant Army secretary for installations, energy and environment.

As the Army faces a future marked by increased volatility and great-power competition, its installations must be “better positioned for success” as a key enabler for the fighting force, the author of a new paper writes. 

In “The Future Installation Management Enterprise: Is the Army Equipped With the Right Capabilities?” Maj. Roye Locklear Jr. says the Army of 2028 will face persistent competition, adversary capabilities, rapid technological changes and increasing regional instability. 

Registration is open for the Association of the U.S. Army’s Hot Topic event April 13.

“Army Installation Partnerships for Mission Assurance,” part of AUSA’s 2022 Hot Topic series, is an in-person, daylong event that will take place at AUSA headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. 

The theme for the event is “Executing the Army Installations Strategy.” 

Climate change is already affecting the Army’s mission and installations, a senior Army official said.

“Climate change is affecting the Army today,” said Paul Farnan, acting assistant Army secretary for installations, energy and environment. “It’s affecting how we operate, where we operate, what we do [and] how we train.”