For this and many other reasons an eclectic group gathered on Capitol Hill last week to petition lawmakers to be prepared for climate related disasters with global consequences.  Team members were from Oxfam International, Operation Free and the Michigan League of Women Voters (anyone know from where the current chairman of the SASC hails?) .  The purpose was to ask influential members of the Senate Arms Services Committee to consider a provision requiring the Federal Government to form a task force to oversee a “whole government” approach to the food and water security issues related to natural calamities. Each of the agencies in the Executive are undertaking some level of planning for these contingencies, most notably, the CIA and the DoD.  There is no formal means to span those silos.     The efforts of the team were focused on adding language to the 2011 National Defense Authorization Bill that would create the task force charged wiht coordinate the already ongoing efforts.  There were no funds associated with the language.  Frankly, given the ongoing debate over DADT and all the other friction associated with the lame duck session, I had little hope of even seeing anyone significant, much less getting language inserted at this late date.  None the less, members of OpFree flew into DC to take on the windmills.  The folks at Oxfam were gracious, informative and persistent hosts.

Over the course of the two days we were educated on the issues and then set out to change some minds.  I was surprised and delighted to find that we actually got access to staff during this most dynamic of times. We meet with senior staffers from the offices of Senators Collins (R-Maine), Lieberman (I-Connecticut), Reid (D-Nevada), Levins (D-Michigan), Lugar (R-Indiana), Hagan (D-North Carolina) and Boxer (D-California).  In each case we met with initial resistance (too late, too busy).   Once we got past that and we stated our case including a letter signed by sixteen flag officers and presented in person by MG (R) George Buskirk, not only did they warm to the idea but were encouraging with advice and timelines…..all for next year.  No staffer disagreed with the arguments, but the timing was just too overwhelming.

Fortunately, the savvy folks at Oxfam had multiple avenues of approach prepared.  If we could do nothing this year, would your Senator be interested in sponsoring a round table in March 2011 to discuss; perhaps call for hearings?  How about a meeting with Senator in person?  Salvo after salvo was delivered and eventually the defenses were worn down.  Look for the effort to continue into the New Year.

This effort is significant because, although we in Op Free focus on the national security implications of our oil addiction, there are other effects of the climate change caused by our prolific use of fossil fuels that other are considering.  Just because it is a national security issue does not mean that it should be the purview of DoD alone.  This is a global challenge and requires a whole of government solution.  Teaming with organizations that such as Oxfam, LWV, faith groups and other groups not normally associated with National Security issues makes great sense for Operation Free.   I look forward to the follow on engagements on this topic and more opportunities to engage across the broad spectrum of folks who have come to recognize the criticality of this issue.

We began our media engagement with an editorial board at the Shreveport Times.  I led off with my story of how I became engaged in this movement via studying casualties in Iraq and growing to understand our true national vulnerability to a commodity we do not control.  After my lofty 30,000 ft view of the issue, my fellow veteran told the story of being in convoys delivering fuel in Iraq.  She calmly told a story of being a large, slow moving target for snipers, IEDs and ground attacks as she delivered the lifeblood of our forward operating bases.  In a matter-of-fact manner she related what life on the airport road was like, but declined to discuss her personal experiences of loss, as many of these young heroes do.

From there it was off to meet the Mayor of Shreveport.  Mayor Cedric Glover was interested in the message and then asked the central question, “What would you change?”  We gave him our pat answer on the climate change bill and added some thoughts on open fuel standards, but what he was really asking was, “How does this affect the voters of Shreveport?”  The answer to that is that thousands of young veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are coming home, do not want to fight for oil again, and are looking to their political leadership for just that: Leadership.  And if they don’t get it, they will hold people accountable at the polls.

From Shreveport we loaded up the compact and drove to New Orleans, staying the night on the outskirts of the 9th District. The bus had finally arrived!  The next day, with several more veterans added to the tour, we met with local television reporters with the bus as our backdrop .  Unfortunately, this was my last day, so after a whirlwind tour (and at least one hurricane), I left the bus and headed home to Tampa.

This tour was most enlightening.  I had the opportunity to meet the great young vets of OpFree and see how passionately they delivered the message of breaking our addiction to oil.  This small group of heroes is growing steadily.  The message that our dependence on a commodity we do not control creates a national security vulnerability is compelling, and no one can question these veterans’ patriotism.  Operation Free is a rising tide in 2010.  If our leadership fails to act on the various energy bills before them, OpFree will be a tsunami in 2012.  It is time to heed this message and act to counter our security risk, our economic drain and the environmental damage done every day, all consequences of our addiction to oil.  It is about responsibility and accountability, two values these veterans understand.

Col. Dan Nolan, US Army (ret.) is CEO of Sabot 6, Inc. based Valrico, Florida  and member of Operation Free.