Read the scenario. Using the information provided in the references and lesson, arrive with your best possible solution.

You are a squad leader in Sapper platoon, Special Troop Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division. Your unit will deploy to Afghanistan to conduct operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. One of your critical tasks in preparing for your deployment is to train your squad on the laws and regulations that we must implement to protect our environment from being damage and contaminated.

The 586th Assault Float Bridge (AFB) Company will conduct a five-day FTX in the Anatuvak training area of Camp Yukon. The unit will depart Fort Chilly and convoy 120 miles on limited-access highways. The commander establishes several rest areas and tactical refueling and maintenance points along the route. Reconnaissance team indicated the trip to take approximately 8 hours. Upon arrival at Camp Yukon, the unit will move into the Anatuvak training area and set up a bivouac site, preceded by their quartering party. During the FTX, the company will conduct tactical-bridging operations on the Yukon River. The FTX will involve normal operations (12 to 16 hours a day), with some night and limited visibility operations. The operations will include the use of pyrotechnics and blank munitions. The FTX will not include live fire due to budgetary constraints. The area has hills, wetlands, several winding streams, and one large river. Signs in the area identify and mark all wetlands. The forecasted weather will not adversely affect operations. The Soldiers are somewhat familiar with the terrain, which contains some identified and marked-off archeological sites. The training area contains the habitat for two endangered species, which are marked and posted. The unit will conduct unit-maintenance, refueling, messing, shower, and field-sanitation operations within the bivouac site.

Apply Critical Thinking to come up with a solution to the scenario.

1. Identify areas of environmental concerns.
2. Identify mission-related environmental risks.
3. Identify potential effects of environmental factors on missions and operations

How would you like us to help you with this assignment?

I am not sure, I no not see any mission related environmental risks and to be perfectly honest I do not understand it at all.

Yukon River

fuel
pyrotechnics
wetlands
archaeological sites
habitat for two endangered species
field-sanitation operations

Identify mission-related environmental risks?

1. Identify areas of environmental concerns.

According to the area that the Bivouac site will be set, it will be an area where there will be hills, wetlands (water source), several winding streams, and one large river and some marked-off archeological sites. This are the environmental concerns, specifically the water source’s and the archeological sites. Both, water source and the archeological site have federal/state/ and local laws to be followed. In Addition, the wetlands have a strong ecosystem.
2. Identify mission-related environmental risks.
The unit will conduct unit-maintenance, refueling, messing, shower, and field-sanitation operations within the bivouac site. The possible risk involved could be damaging to the water sources via the streams, river, and wetlands. The unit commander will have to justify his mission objective is worth the risk of possibly creating an improper use of waste into an ecosystem, water source and ideological site.
3. Identify potential effects of environmental factors on missions and operations.
The potential effects of the unit conducting maintenance, refueling, messing, shower’s, and field-sanitation operations need to have a waste plan in place, so that, where federal, state, and local laws are not being broken. On the other hand, the unit commander has to see the environmental factors, identified, assessed, and planned. Once the commanders has assessed the potential environmental risks involved, the commander can coordinate with federal/state/ and local environmental regulations. Secondly, the commander will need to restore any contaminated sites that he has created. Third, commander will need to plan what type of chemicals will be released into the environment or exposed to the environment.

1. Identify areas of environmental concerns:

- Wetlands: These areas should be marked and avoided to prevent damage to their delicate ecosystems.
- Winding streams and the Yukon River: Proper measures should be taken to prevent contamination of the water sources.
- Archeological sites: These sites should be respected and protected from any potential damage.

2. Identify mission-related environmental risks:
- Use of pyrotechnics and blank munitions: These activities may cause noise pollution and potentially disturb the habitat of the endangered species in the training area.
- Unit-maintenance, refueling, messing, shower, and field-sanitation operations within the bivouac site: Proper waste management should be implemented to prevent contamination of the environment.

3. Identify potential effects of environmental factors on missions and operations:
- Damage to wetlands or contamination of water sources can harm the local ecosystem and potentially affect the availability of clean water for the unit.
- Disturbance to the habitat of endangered species may have negative impacts on their populations and disrupt the local ecosystem.
- Damage to archeological sites can result in the loss of cultural heritage and potentially legal repercussions.

Based on these identified concerns, the solution should involve:
- Conducting a thorough environmental assessment of the training area to identify any additional environmental concerns that may have been missed.
- Developing and implementing environmental protection plans, including proper waste management procedures, noise reduction measures, and specific protocols for avoiding damage to wetlands, water sources, endangered species habitats, and archeological sites.
- Providing training to all squad members on the importance of environmental protection and the specific measures they need to take during the FTX to minimize environmental impacts.
- Assigning environmental officers within the squad to oversee and enforce environmental protection measures throughout the deployment.
- Regular monitoring and assessment of environmental practices during the FTX to ensure compliance with regulations and the effectiveness of the implemented measures.