WEBVTT

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(upbeat music)

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- [Narrator] ACUB, the Army
Compatible Use Buffer program.

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Army installations today are
increasingly getting pressure

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from a variety of outside
and inside sources,

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which is making it difficult
to accomplish their mission.

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Historically, the United States
built military installations

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in sparsely populated areas.

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Commercial development and urban sprawl

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over the last 30 years,

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have encroached on our
training land boundaries

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resulting in training constraints

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at many army installations,

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such as Fort Carson,
Colorado, Fort Sill, Oklahoma,

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and Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

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In addition, compliance
with the increasing number

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of federal and state laws,

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like the endangered species act,

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have created internal constraints

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on training land use and development.

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Monitoring and mitigating
how army readiness operations

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and activities affect the
surrounding environment,

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and communities is of concern.

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Commanders are frequently
required to choose

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between being good neighbors,

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and meeting training and
testing requirements.

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As these external and internal pressures

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continue to increase,

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our militaries capabilities
and training land requirements

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are also increasing.

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Our future military will be
using longer range weapons

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and technologies that
further impact communities,

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and the resources they depend on.

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Therefore, we must look
beyond today's technology

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and warfare tactics

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to continue supporting the army's mission.

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Creating a longterm encroachment
mitigation strategy,

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using a holistic approach
that addresses readiness

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requirements of today and the future,

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is vital to sustain an optimal
combat training environment

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for our soldiers.

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To address these encroachment issues,

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congress passed legislation
that authorizes the Department

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of Defense to enter into agreements,

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with non-federal governments

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or private conservation organizations,

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regarding the use or development

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of property near military installations.

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The Readiness and Environmental
Protection Integration,

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REPI office, within the Office
of the Secretary of Defense,

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provides appropriated
funds to our services,

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through an annual application process.

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Funds are to be used by
the non-federal partner

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to pay for the acquisition
of real property,

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and real property interests
from willing sellers

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to limit incompatible
development and preserve habitat,

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by analyzing population growth projections

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and environmental constraints.

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We connect now to prevent
future encroachment.

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The garrison commander's role
in identifying their needs

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and championing their ACUB
program cannot be overstated.

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They play a critical role

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in securing the installation's readiness.

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The ACUB program creates buffers

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that enable training and
readiness activities,

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without the need to
stop, reduce, or relocate

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while benefiting the local
communities and environment.

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Due to the complexity of ACUB ,

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operational, legal and
financial risks exist.

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These risks are mitigated

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through the central
management and oversight

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at the Headquarters

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Installation Management Command, HQ IMCOM.

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Garrisons and HQ IMCOM,

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collaboratively identify ACUB projects.

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The process starts with
encroachment analysis,

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continues with developing
mitigation strategies,

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and ends with an
agreement between the army

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and a partner to encumber land.

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ACUB is a powerful tool
for preventing encroachment

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to key mission readiness activities.

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For instance, development looming

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near Campbell army airfield in
the accident potential zones,

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could have severely impacted
airfield operations.

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But through ACUB over
11,000 acres were protected

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between 2009 and 2017,

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effectively buffering the installation

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from such incompatible development.

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At Fort Sill, encroachment
from urban development

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near the installation boundaries,

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required firing points to be relocated

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due to noise migrating off posts,

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into newly developed neighborhoods.

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In 2006, Fort Sill
implemented an ACUB program

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to prevent additional training
impacts due to encroachment.

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Between 2006 and 2017,

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Fort Sill successfully got in
front of development pressure

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by protecting over 3,600
acres of neighboring ranch

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and farm lands along the
installation boundaries.

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The first critical step for
the ACUB program success

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begins with the garrison
together with HQ IMCOM,

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and the US Army
Environmental Command, USAEC.

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They identify the
installations mission needs

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and analyze encroachment threats,

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creating a longterm encroachments
mitigation strategy.

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An installation prepares an ACUB proposal,

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which includes the analysis
of the threats, risks,

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and solutions to secure and
maintain the space necessary

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to support its mission
readiness activities.

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A cooperative agreement between the army

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and it's ACUB partner,

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enables land encumbrance
through real estate instruments.

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The ACUB partner acquires a land interest

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from the land owner,

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and provides all necessary land management

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and easement monitoring and enforcement.

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REPI, army installation
and partner funding streams

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facilitate execution of this process.

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The garrisons and HQ IMCOM work
together to maintain a focus

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on encroachment strategy
and priority areas,

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cooperative agreement
compliance, record management,

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and legal responsibilities.

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The army's ACUB program
relies on coordinated efforts

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among garrisons HQ IMCOM,
USAEC, partners and landowners.

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With ACUB projects and innovative thinking

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the army secures
readiness for generations.

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(helicopter engine roaring)