Environmental stewardship needs a proactive approach Published April 19, 2011 By Bob Fant 21st Civil Engineer Squadron Environmental Quality Branch PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- On April 22 we celebrate the 41st anniversary of Earth Day. The 21st Space Wing stands proudly beside these 41 years of tradition with our culture of environmental compliance. Compliance by definition is a responsive way of life. New laws are passed, and we react to them bringing ourselves back into compliance. Environmental stewardship, on the other hand, requires a proactive approach. Being proactive requires leaders capable of seeing around the next corner and getting there ahead of the next environmental law. The continued success of the 21st Space Wing requires proactive leadership and environmental stewardship to be joined at the hip. Each day, the men and women of the 21st Space Wing come to work with the idea of doing their best to move our mission forward and be good stewards of Air Force resources. The 21st Space Wing mission demands we conduct precise and disciplined missile warning, missile defense and space control operations; professionally operate, support and protect our installations while teaming with mission partners; and develop, deploy and care for our Warrior Airmen who defend America and our allies. This mission ties directly back to environmental stewardship. Sustaining readiness simply means the conduct of our mission depends upon how well we take care of the environment. If we abuse the environment, the very real possibility exists that others who feel we should take better care of the environment can interrupt our ability to carry out our mission. In short, they can shut us down. This has happened before in other instances across the military. Improving the quality of life of those living and working on Peterson Air Force Base should be near the top of every leader's agenda. In order to leave Peterson AFB better than we found it, we must all be environmental stewards. We should recycle at every opportunity, pick up litter when we walk down the sidewalk, and turn in our hazardous waste in a timely manner. The efforts of leaders keep these things in front of us and make environmental stewardship a reality. Good environmental stewards are also good neighbors, and by being good environmental stewards we can strengthen the civil relations with our neighbors at the Colorado Springs Airport, the City of Colorado Springs, El Paso County and other members of the DOD community along the Front Range. Preserving our valuable natural resources means simply to take care of the natural world where Peterson AFB and the geographical separated units of the 21st Space Wing operate. Our responsibility is to provide for future Air Force and 21st Space Wing generations, so that they can use the installation and different operating locations to their greatest potential. If the mission moves on to other locations, our responsibility as environmental stewards and Air Force leaders is to depart the area with a minimum of permanent damage and the good will and good memories of those people who will be there after us. Finally, to bring environmental stewardship and leadership together, Gen. Carrol Chandler, the vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force and Terry Yonkers, the assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Logistics, recently sent a letter to all major commands, forward operating agencies and direct reporting unit commanders called Operationalizing Environmental Management. This letter extended a call to all commanders at the top levels of our Air Force to understand and implement the Air Force's vision for environmental stewardship. To operationalize the management of the environment means to provide the same leadership effort and attention the 21st Space Wing gives to space and missile warning. While all environmental stewards are not necessarily Air Force leaders, all Air Force leaders are environmental stewards. And since all Airmen are leaders, you need to be an environmental steward too. Happy Earth Day.