This past Tuesday, July 27^th, a great group of veterans descended on Washington D.C. to attend another fantastic Operation Free Event.  Two groups of the veterans, including myself, went to lobby Senators Pryor and Lincoln from Arkansas. Unfortunately we only met with Senator Pryor’s staff but we actually met Senator Lincoln. The Senator and staff said they were supportive of our efforts to push for comprehensive clean energy reform but I can’t help but think some of it was just talk. It can be very frustrating when lobbying because it seems time and time again that partisan games get in the way of securing our energy future. Especially when our military is leading the way to a clean energy future and Congress can’t seem to follow their lead.

That afternoon we all made our way to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building for the White House Clean Energy Forum. Carol Browner, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change, started it off and was followed by the distinguished Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. The forum consisted of two panels that were stocked with the best and brightest in the clean energy and national security arena. I was extremely honored to represent Operation Free on the second panel. I couldn’t help but wonder how I ever got so lucky as to be not only in attendance at this forum but to be a speaker. The forum went well and was good to see how the administration and military are continuing to move toward a clean energy future with or without Congress. Although this can seem disconcerting, it has happened over and over in history that the military leads the way and eventually the rest of the United States follows. It is just frustrating that the knowledge that we are funding both sides of the war isn’t enough to create change now.

So as the trip to D.C ended my thoughts go to how glad I was to see all the other great veterans and friends that I know will be leading us into a bright future.  I think I can speak for all the veterans of Operation Free when I say that being involved with Operation Free has given us all great opportunities, given us another way to serve our country, and has created lifelong friendships. How can we not think positive of the future when you remember all of that.

One year ago, hundreds of veterans joined Operation Free in the fight for a cleaner, stronger, safer America.  For the past year, your voice has been strongest among the millions of Americans calling for climate and energy reform.

You understand the hard facts that many in Washington choose to ignore. You are among the 79% of veterans who understand that energy, climate, and national security are inextricably linked and the many millions of Americans who have seen the connection themselves. You know that ending our addiction means we stop funding our enemies and keep $100 million away from Iran every day.

There have been many accomplishments along the way:

Last October, you helped us launch the Veterans for American Power bus tour.  For three weeks, two buses traced across the country, spreading your message of safe, clean, American power.

Later that year, many of you flew into Washington to share your ideas, lobby your Senators, and hear encouraging words from military and national security leaders such as Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus.

In early 2010, in cooperation with our coalition partner VoteVets, we launched “Tough,” our first hugely successful ad starring Purple Heart recipient Chris Miller.  The national ad helped Operation Free break into the mainstream and had many across the country talking about energy in a way that they had never thought of before.

Meanwhile we launched the second leg of the Veterans for American Power tour.  Since October the bus has spread your message over 26,000 miles at more than 175 stops.

Another hugely successful ad, “Boot,” aired all over the country, urging specific Senators to rise above the “bickering” in Washington and take action to tackle comprehensive legislation.

Despite all of this and more, our objective has not yet been fulfilled. The Senate, “exhausted” from their year of hard work, has dropped the ball.  And while their “Spill Bill” cracks down on BP, it doesn’t let them off the hook for real action.  The Senate has abandoned carbon pricing, a vital element to solving climate change and moving us away from oil from hostile nations.

Remind your Senators that they are not off the hook.  They may be tired, but they will never be as weary as those brave men and women deployed around the world protecting our freedoms and our future.  Remind them that, so long as our troops stand in harm’s way, inaction is unacceptable.  We must not relent until the Senate delivers a comprehensive clean energy and climate bill – despite what big oil companies and their lobbyists say.

Thank you for fighting alongside us for the past year.  Your efforts have breathed new life into a decades-old struggle, and will not go to waste.  Victory postponed is not defeat; this fight is still ours to win.

Thank you  for all you have done, and will continue to do for this crucial issue,

The Operation Free Team:
Jonathan Murray
Dave Solimini
Laura Britton
Matt Oberhoffner
James Whitaker
Brendan Flynn
Mary Deering
Whitney Hank
Kouri Marshall
Andy Arens

Last Thursday, July 15, U.S. Navy veteran and Operation Free member Ashkan Bayatpour took part in a press conference at the U.S. capitol to highlight the national security threats posed by our reliance on one source of energy. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tom Carper (D-DE), Tom Udall (D-NM) and Michael Bennett (D-CO) introduced proposed legislation that would act to eliminate all foreign oil imports by 2030. America will have to replace oil by developing a “robust clean energy economy,” including increased production and use of electric vehicles, more rapid development of alternative fuels, revamping infrastructure, and improving energy efficiency in homes and commercial buildings. The Oil Independence for a Stronger America Act also would create a National Council on Energy Security to ensure a sustained focus on reducing the use of oil. The Council, housed in the White House, would be charged with making recommendations to the President and Congress to ensure that America has a focused, strategic plan for energy independence and with aligning the actions of various federal agencies.

Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to Alaska with a group of Operation Free vets and staff to talk about how national security is being impacted by our dependence on a single source of energy and the potential for increase in conflict resulting from climate change.  The experience was truly memorable.

It is hard to describe the beauty of Alaska; as I took a little time off to ride a bike along Cook Inlet, I could see Mt McKinley many miles away in the distance with its white covering even in July.  What a land of pristine beauty!  Alaskans are justly proud of the state’s natural beauty and want to keep it that way.

The Town Hall with Alaskan veterans, other OpFree vets, and Senator Begich was lively and interactive.  Alaskans are clearly concerned with protecting the environment and several noted the impacts of climate change already being experienced by the Native American Alaskan population.  Some truly sobering stories were told.  Veterans in the audience were quick to grasp the link between our dependence on a single source of energy and the risk that dependence poses on our national security.  It was a great experience.

We followed with interviews with local print, radio and TV media.  The receptions were all the same; warm, friendly and understanding.  The feedback was immediate and vocal during a news-talk radio program: we need to act.

LtGen John Castellaw, USMC (Retired)

Protection comes too late for this oil-covered marsh.

Guest Post by Ashkan Bayatpour

I just spent four hours on a boat in the Gulf of Mexico with fellow veterans and two retired Generals, touring the damage that the oil spill has had on the coast and the economy here in Louisiana. As a Gulf native, I know how much this will hurt the people here, and across America, who depend on the region for their livelihoods. But I also came as a veteran to see just how bad it would be if oil platforms were attacked by terrorist groups.

Seeing miles of damaged coastline really brings home just how unreliable one source of energy is and how vulnerable our dependence has made us – especially for this Navy and Iraq war veteran.

Check out the photos from our trip to the Gulf.

We know from attacks in the Middle East that oil infrastructure – pipelines and platforms – are increasingly targeted by terrorist groups. Being out here on the water made it very clear the massive impact that a terrorist attack on an oil rig would have. And I’m not the only one – We’ve got the Coast Guard standing watch on oil platforms in the Persian Gulf and Senator Jim Webb asking for an accounting of security on domestic offshore rigs.

We’ve put together an album of photos – see what it looks like down on the water.

Of course, the best way to prevent an attack on oil infrastructure is to move beyond oil. Today’s trip reminded me why we’re doing what we’re doing – as it has for so many other Americans who want to see their country secure and prosperous. We’re glad you’re along for the fight.

Ashkan Bayatpour is a veteran of the US Navy.