Truman Center for National Policy

The Truman Center for National Policy is a nonprofit charitable organization with a mission to unite and equip a diverse community of American leaders to produce innovative and principled solutions to complex national security challenges. It is an independent voice in an increasingly partisan political environment, bringing together decision makers focused on strengthening U.S. national security and democracy at home and across the globe. It works to encourage a diverse younger generation of leaders to choose national security careers in government and to help government promote innovation and reform in the national security sector.

Operation Free is a project of the Truman National Security Project that identifies, recruits, and organizes veterans from across the nation to speak out on the links between climate, energy, and national security. Their ultimate goal is to ensure national security messages are a strong part of the climate and energy movement. Some of the activities during the grant period include: recruiting and training veterans on the national security aspects of climate change and U.S. energy policy; establishing military roundtables around the U.S. to promote continued engagement of veterans; and conducting state campaigns with local events to educate the public and policymakers on climate and energy issues and their connection to improved national security.

Operation Free recruits, trains, and mobilizes Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans to tell their personal stories highlighting the national security rationale for reducing emissions from electricity production and oil use. With this renewal grant, the project’s network of veterans would educate decision makers about clean energy and climate policy opportunities at the national level as well as in several states.