The Army mission – To be ready to deploy, fight, and win our Nations wars – remains constant. The Army defends those things most prized by all nations – our land, our resources, and our people. 

The Army’s warfighting readiness mission is inseparable from the environmental resources that are critical to accomplishing that mission. Readiness training for multi-domain operations; high intensity conflict; and development, testing, and fielding for combat system modernization; all require access to realistic natural landscapes and environmental conditions that Soldiers and materiel experience during combat.  

The need to train as we fight is fundamental to our armed forces. Ranges are some of our most valued assets because they closely resemble the operational environments of assigned military missions. Installations are also critical for maintaining military readiness and mission effectiveness.  As such, ranges and installations must be available when and where needed and have the capabilities necessary to support current and future military mission requirements. Creating and sustaining a long-term network of ranges requires a management framework that effectively addresses mission requirements, environment and natural resource management, and the interests and aspirations of the local community.

The Army’s team of professional biologists, environmental protection specialists, planners, and other scientists conduct day to day management in support of the training lands, operations and natural resources. They work in cooperation with trainers, operators, external agencies and local communities.  They are truly “protecting the resources we defend”.