Photo By Staff Sgt. Seth LaCount | Retired U.S. Navy Capt. John Mosher, heads the environmental work group responsible...... read more read more
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Can the military effectively train for war in all its destructive nature while simultaneously conserving the land, sea and wildlife within its scope of impact? The nation’s fighting force is tasked with its security and protection, and it must perform. But the need to reassess how military training affects the environment and local industry has been brought to the foreground in the last decade.
In early May, 2021 more than 15,000 U.S. service members converged on the great white north and the Gulf of Alaska to execute one of the nation’s largest joint force exercises, Northern Edge 2021 (NE21). This joint training exercise is conducted biennially (every other year) in the Gulf of Alaska for approximately three weeks between April and October.
Their host state, the largest landmass and surrounding maritime ecosystem in the nation, boasts vibrant plant and animal life. This is paired with a local fishing industry whose livelihood is reliant on the framework of these ecosystems remaining intact. The footprint that could potentially disturb this system is worth considering.
“Everyone recognizes the need for the military to train,” said John Mosher of the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet and the Alaska Environmental Readiness Program manager heading up the effort for NE21. “What a lot of people don’t know is the lengths we go to make sure we do it correctly.”
During NE21, the U.S. Navy -- tasked with the national defense of American coastal areas -- has acted as the lead military branch in assessing and answering the question of “What’s an acceptable level of disturbance to Alaska’s marine ecosystems?”
In collaboration with elected officials, Alaska Native organizations and federal entities like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Navy has enacted effective mitigation measures that allow the U.S. military to operate with precision, limiting the potential harm to Alaska’s environment and wildlife.
“Over the last couple of exercises, Alaska has been focused on disruptions to fishing industry and subsistence for Alaska Native tribes,” Mosher said. “Fish get a specific focus because of the effect on fish, but also the industry that includes fisherman, their boats, and livelihood.”
Since 2009, the Navy has been dedicated to protecting the marine and coastal environments of the Gulf of Alaska. The Navy has funded marine species monitoring within the offshore waters of the Gulf of Alaska with approximately $6 million invested through 2020. A combination of technologies has been successfully used to dramatically increase the scientific knowledge for marine species in the Gulf of Alaska.
The Navy has established a maritime training area in the Gulf of Alaska known as the Temporary Maritime Activities Area (TMAA) in the Gulf of Alaska. The TMAA is located offshore and avoids many sensitive coastal resources. Studies occurring within and beyond the Gulf of Alaska TMAA help the Navy better understand species distribution in relation to Navy activities to inform management.
In addition to the maritime-focused analysis, environmental planning and documentation for the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex (JPARC), specifically land-based and air-based training areas has been conducted by the U.S. Air Force, based on a 2013 environmental impact statement.
The two primary areas of focus for the U.S. military in mitigation during an exercise like NE21 are the use of active sonar and the firing of explosive munitions. During the exercise, service members use the Navy Acoustic Effect Model (NAEMO) and the Protective Measures Assessment Protocol system (PMAP) prior to employing sonar and weaponry.
The NAEMO is an advanced, acoustic, modeling and simulation software tool used to assess potential effects on marine mammals from sonar and weapon systems. It factors in the latest science, standardized parameters and additional considerations in the quantitative analysis process.
Similarly, the PMAP system is implemented prior to live-fire exercises. Shooting a 5-inch gun from a destroyer is one example of this. Prior to firing, Sailors employ the PMAP system, enter the location, activity and additional details to make sure they abide by the limitations that have been set and what protective measures must be implemented. For instance, if a sea turtle or whale enters the target area, the shoot will be halted and either redirected or put on hold, until marine mammals are out of the area.
With the help of federal organizations that preserve Alaska’s fish and mammals, insight from local Alaska Native organizations, and guidance from scientific experts, the military will continue to refine their mitigation efforts in 2021 and beyond.
“Over the last several years, we’ve actually done a lot less than we’re actually authorized to do,” Mosher said. “I think that’s a measure of how well we’re effectively able to conserve and protect the great state of Alaska.”
The lethality of the U.S. military has not been diminished by embracing the environmental impact of training. Advances in science and technology paired with thorough analysis has allowed for a harmonious relationship between America’s fighting force and the nature surrounding it.
| Date Taken: | 05.14.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 05.14.2021 19:07 |
| Story ID: | 396508 |
| Location: | ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 215 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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