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Defense Energy Seminar Details the Challenge of Culture Change
U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Brian H. Abel

Defense Energy Seminar Details the Challenge of Culture Change

By MC3 Brian H. Abel

Retired Marine Corps Col. Michael Boyd, Deputy Head of the USMC Engineer and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Advocacy Branch, fields a student's question following the latest Defense Energy Seminar in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Auditorium, Aug. 21.

Boyd acts as a liaison between U.S. Marine Corps headquarters and NPS on educational programs involving the efficient use of energy on the battlefield. During his presentation, he spoke on the negative effect of wasting resources during combat operations.

"If we're not efficient with our energy, or usage of energy, we will not be able to rapidly deploy and sustain our forces," said Boyd. "We don't have the money, and we don't have the strategic lift anymore to have huge armies. We need to minimize and optimize our logistics footprint on the battlefield, because the logistics is far more vulnerable to interdictions and threats then the actual operating forces."

Boyd's team is charged with researching ways to change the culture of consumption by conserving fossil fuels and necessary consumables.

"We have to change our ethos of believing it's an inexhaustible asset," said Boyd. "We have to understand that the movement of fuel is something we need to prevent. We have to be efficient in terms of our acquisition of equipment and equipment items so they are far more efficient than their predecessors."

And Boyd emphasizes that implementing energy effectiveness, like many things, starts with education.

"I appreciate that this university has embraced the energy conservation subject," said Boyd. "[This] is something that would not be possible if the Naval Postgraduate School hadn't taken this on and embraced it in such a meaningful way … It's enlightening."

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Today@NPS showcases some of the speakers, conferences, experiments, lectures, and other events that take place at the Naval Postgraduate School on a daily basis. If you would like more information about any of the highlighted activities please contact the Office of University Communications at pao@nps.edu.
August 2015 Title

August 2015

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