Air Conditioning The Military Costs More Than NASA's Entire Budget

NASA's annual budget is dwarfed by a lot of other programs, but this may be the most incredible.

It costs $1 billion more than NASA's budget just to provide air conditioning for temporary tents and housing in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Gizmodo. The total cost of keeping troops cool comes to roughly $20 billion. That figure comes from Steve Anderson, a retired brigadier general who was Gen. Petraeus' chief logistician in Iraq.

NASA's total budget is just $19 billion.

The huge cost comes from the fuel used to power the units, according to Gizmodo. Even worse, the trucks used to transport the fuel have also become targets for insurgent IEDs, which leads to casualties in addition to upping the costs.

That cost comes out of the fuel needed to heat and cool tents on the front lines. However, the trucks that transport this fuel have become targets for IEDs used by the insurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to Anderson, at least 1000 soldiers have been killed moving fuel.

There may be a potential fix for the problem, but it seems unlikely it'll ever actually happen. The Grist outlines the potential solution, according to Anderson: "Spray tents with polyurethane foam. An existing $95 million contract to spray-insulate tents is providing $1 billion in cost-avoidance, Anderson says. But insulating tents instead of air conditioning them is still not official military policy.

Comments

[billkarwin]

12:13 PM on 06/24/2011

This story sounds unbelievable. It may be exaggerated or apocryphal. The FY2012 budget for DoD requests $117.8 billion for "overseas contingency operations" which is what the military occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan is now called. How can $20 billion of that be spent only on fuel for air conditioning? Even if one includes the high security required for the fuel truck transports?

Even if it is exaggerated, the valid point is that we're spending in an unwise and inefficient way. Add to that the dubious goal in those two countries, since the threat there is no longer from Al-Qaida but from nationals who want us to leave.

[billkarwin]

11:27 AM on 06/24/2011

So we should be happy about paying $95 million to avoid paying $1 billion? Why don't we bring the troops home, and avoid having to air-condition any temporary structures at all in Iraq and Afghanistan? I just saved us $2 billion -- per week! You're welcome. So where's my $95 million contract?

[bluedogtired]

06:11 PM on 06/23/2011

20 bill seems a lot. And it should't cost that much.
But it's hot. And any relief for the soldiers is a plus.

[Kenneth Golston]

08:19 AM on 06/23/2011

What a great write up, NASA's 1B buget and to go after Soldiers who are dying for their country every day while you enjoy the freedom to point out, "hey they got AC" and as a result just wait, all those medical questions raised about polyurethane spray or foam? Duhhhh, you know the respiratory health risks involved in applying the foam in uses such as insulation!!!!!!WT??? And what about the dangers associated with the flame retardant treatment which must be applied to polyurethane in that heat? But who cares NASA needs $$$$ and the health risk on Soldiers who'll be breathing polyurethane can just add it on their VA clams when they get home. Go check the evidence first before you write this type madness; always pick on the Soldier!!!!!!!!

[LazyRepubs]

09:23 AM on 06/23/2011

Who's picking on the soldier "big guy"? I thought it was just making a factual claim about the cost of air conditioning US forces in both dollars and lives and whether there were other better alternatives. With the US deficit growing you wonder what government contractor made a killing on this one.

[Tanrioldu]

12:33 AM on 06/23/2011

Air conditioning tents on the front line? what about fans and popsicles? much cheaper.

[ADM212]

08:40 PM on 07/24/2011

Much cheaper sure, but they are facing temps of 100+ so it isn't practical. If you stick people in that kind of heat with nothing more than fans, water,& popsicles to cool them then you are asking for problems. They will overheat & be ill, unable to do their jobs, and keep them from fighting for your freedom to say silly (or if I were meaner stupid) things.

[JWerner]

10:48 PM on 06/22/2011

This just goes to show how much we're spending on the military. I mean, seriously. . .it's ridiculous.

[thundermummy]

08:55 PM on 06/22/2011

Never had that in the Seabees. In Somalia, the Army had all the toys and built picnic tables. They had a/c, we worked.

[Tom95134]

06:12 PM on 06/22/2011

A real boon to the companies contracted to truck fuel into areas where generators are used to power the air conditioning systems.

[Daphydd]

05:31 PM on 06/22/2011

"There may be a potential fix for the problem", yes, that would be end these endless wars.

[InYourWorld]

06:00 PM on 06/22/2011

Our MIC funded congress and President wont let that happen. Raytheon is enjoying it's continual ability to test out new weapon systems.

[Andrew Hill 1]

05:13 PM on 06/22/2011

Bring 'em home and let's go to Mars instead of killing people on this planet.

[Ednah]

12:33 AM on 06/23/2011

Halliburton is waiting to get that nice big contract to build the first base on Mars, and then get the open ended one to service it.

[archaeme]

04:57 PM on 06/22/2011

They should use the spray insulation thing! It might cut down taxes.