ASP in the News: LtGen John Castellaw USMC (Ret.) in the Florida Times-Union
On August 23, 2021 former ASP Board Member Lieutenant General John Castellaw USMC (Ret.) featured a guest column on jacksonville.com, the online edition of the Florida Times-Union, where he highlighted the harmful effects of climate change on U.S. national security and military installations.
Gen. Castellaw outlined some of the climate security threats facing U.S. military bases and programs in northeastern Florida, from rising water levels and rainfall to extreme heat. Such threats may increasingly damage military infrastructure, disrupt training and readiness, and cost the military billions of dollars to recover.
“No other state is more important to our national security than Florida. Having completed two tours of duty in the state during my 36 years in the Marine Corps, I’ve been on most of its 20 plus military bases.
These important elements of America’s defense are at risk from rising seas, extreme rainfall events, and more frequent and intense impacts from heatwaves and hurricanes.
Addressing climate change is a big job requiring a coordinated effort. The armed forces, private sector, and all levels of government must collaborate to improve resilience and make the necessary investments to protect military operations as climate security threats worsen. Not to do so puts our national security at too great a risk.”
On August 24, LtGen Castellaw joined a panel discussion in Jacksonville, Florida with ASP and the Northeast Regional Planning Council, in partnership with ADAPT. There he discussed climate security threats in northeastern Florida and the need for greater investment in resilience. This event was a part of an ongoing series, the National Climate Security Tour, and was the third such event in Florida this year.
