You're in the Army Now

Environmentalists and the Pentagon have never been the best of friends -- in fact, the folks at the Department of Defense are currently trying to wiggle out of complying with as many environmental regulations as possible in the name of national security -- but it would seem that military leaders can think green when it suits them. The U.S. Army and General Motors have rolled out a new, highly efficient hybrid-engine truck, designed for soldiers doing stealth work in the field. The truck, a militarized version of the Chevrolet Silverado, has a V8 engine coupled with a gas-electric system and a fuel-cell auxiliary power unit. If the vehicle is a hit, it could become the model for the Army's 30,000 other light trucks. Maj. Gen. N. Ross Thompson III said, "We have a vision that if we could be an all-electric army, particularly in our vehicles, we'd reduce significantly the impact on the logistics burden that we currently have." Not to mention the impact on the environment.