The U.S. Department of Defense has reportedly introduced a resilience standard requiring major military installations across the continental United States to sustain essential operations for up to 90 days during a major disruption. The initiative, referred to as the FORTRESS resilience initiative, aims to ensure bases can function independently if the electrical grid fails.
Retired Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré, the former commander of the U.S. First Army, raised concerns regarding the directive in an opinion piece published in The Hill. Honoré, who previously led federal recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina and reviewed Capitol security following the January 6 attack, argued that the current approach leaves civilian leaders largely uninformed about potential threats to infrastructure.
"If American civilians are at risk, they have a right to know. Just as important for managing the threat, America’s governors and mayors must be read in to the situation to begin planning for the worst," Honoré wrote. He emphasized that in the event of a significant grid failure lasting 90 days, the consequences would extend far beyond military bases, impacting food, water, fuel supplies, and healthcare services for the general public.
The former commander noted that the Department of Defense's handling of the threat remains unclear, stating it is uncertain whether specific intelligence has triggered the planning or if the department is simply responding to the capabilities of adversaries. He urged federal authorities to coordinate with state and local officials to ensure comprehensive emergency management, noting that recovery efforts cannot be managed solely from Washington D.C.
Key facts
- The Pentagon initiative requires major U.S. military bases to sustain operations for 90 days without relying on external power.
- Retired Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré served as the commander of the U.S. First Army and led recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina.
- Honoré warned that a 90-day power outage would result in the loss of heating, refrigeration, and disruptions to essential supplies.
- The directive aims to establish a new resilience standard for continental U.S. military installations.
Why it matters
Honoré argued that the exclusion of civilian leaders from emergency infrastructure planning poses a significant risk to public stability. He stated that state and local officials must be part of the disaster management process to mitigate preventable tragedies that would inevitably occur during a prolonged grid failure.
Background
The Pentagon has not issued a formal public warning regarding a 90-day blackout, though the department has begun an exercise focused on the resilience of its military bases.
Source: Times of India, Hindustan Times
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