The Future of Extreme Heat across US Military Bases

The Union of Concerned Scientists projects that without reductions in carbon emissions, US military installations will face a significant increase in days with a heat index above 100°F by midcentury, potentially increasing the rate of heat-related illnesses (HRIs). The report highlights that basic training recruits are particularly vulnerable and that installations in Florida are projected to be among the most affected. To address these risks, the memo recommends increased funding for HRI research, the establishment of an expert working group, improved training on acclimatization, and a transition toward renewable energy to limit future warming.

• In 2018, the US military recorded nearly 2,800 cases of heat-related illness (HRI), with the majority occurring at domestic installations. Over the previous five years, approximately 40 percent of these cases were concentrated at five populous bases in the Southeast: Fort Benning (Georgia), Fort Campbell (Kentucky), Fort Polk (Louisiana), Fort Bragg (North Carolina), and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune/Cherry Point (North Carolina).
• Climate projections indicate that if carbon emissions are not reduced, nearly every populous US military installation will see a major increase in dangerously hot days within 20 to 40 years. On average, installations will experience an additional month of extreme heat per year by midcentury, with some seeing increases of two to three and one-half months, leading to some bases having nearly four months per year with a heat index above 100°F.
• Basic training facilities are at high risk because recruits experience HRI at six times the rate of other enlisted personnel. Without emissions reductions, the frequency of days with potentially lethal heat at these facilities is projected to quadruple by midcentury.
• Florida is projected to be disproportionately affected by extreme heat; four of the five bases with the largest projected increases in days with a heat index above 100°F by midcentury are located there.
• The number of major US military installations experiencing 30 or more days per year with a heat index above 100°F is projected to grow from nine historically to 100 by midcentury if no action is taken to reduce emissions.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2020). The Future of Extreme Heat across US Military Bases. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2020-01/US%20Military%20on%20the%20Front%20Lines%20of%20Extreme%20Heat%20Policy%20Memo.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. The Future of Extreme Heat across US Military Bases. 2020. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2020-01/US%20Military%20on%20the%20Front%20Lines%20of%20Extreme%20Heat%20Policy%20Memo.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=The Future of Extreme Heat across US Military Bases |date=January 2020 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2020-01/US%20Military%20on%20the%20Front%20Lines%20of%20Extreme%20Heat%20Policy%20Memo.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2020future, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{The Future of Extreme Heat across US Military Bases}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2020}, month = jan, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2020-01/US%20Military%20on%20the%20Front%20Lines%20of%20Extreme%20Heat%20Policy%20Memo.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }