Remarks by Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks for Earth Day > U.S. Department of Defense > Speech

As we celebrate this Earth Day, we are reminded of our responsibility to protect the planet and the people on it.

We all have a role to play in protecting our environment. The Department of Defense oversees the management and care of 27 million hectares of land, water and airspace.

On these millions of hectares we develop and test new technologies and platforms, train our military personnel and maintain the highest level of military readiness.

These hectares are also home to some of the most unique and rare ecosystems and habitats in the world.

In recent years, we have made historic investments that increase our resilience, enhance combat capabilities and reduce our impact on the environment, including efforts to preserve our natural landscape.

These acres are also home to our nation’s military and military personnel.

One of the ministry’s top priorities is caring for our people. That means ensuring that the communities where our people work, learn and live are healthy and resilient – ​​that the water they drink and the air they breathe are clean. And it means that their environment meets operational needs and improves their quality of life. It is a responsibility that we treat with the utmost seriousness.

The health of our environment is critical to our national security. It turns out that what’s good for the environment also benefits our military. When we operate in a way that is more sustainable and energy efficient, we also make our military more agile, faster and more responsive in crises.

So on this Earth Day, we at the Department of Defense recommit to advancing a more sustainable future for our country, our military and our communities. And we know that as we do that, we are building a safer world.