CSO Serial Six: Tackling Technical Debt to Strengthen Mission Readiness
Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations & Environment
Lead DON efforts to improve energy security, promote environmental protection, and maintain DON installations.
Friends and colleagues, I’m pleased to announce Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) Serial Six: Technical Debt—the newest in our series of sustainability directives designed to strengthen the Department of the Navy’s mission readiness. Working closely with our Chief Information Officer, Jane Rathbun, we’re targeting outdated systems and unsupported technologies that can leave us vulnerable and limit our ability to stay on the cutting edge.
This memorandum is about more than IT modernization—it’s about safeguarding our people, our missions, and our planet. By mitigating technical debt, we reduce cyber risks, optimize resources, and keep our Sailors and Marines focused on what matters most.
Key highlights of CSO Serial Six?include:
This latest memo aligns seamlessly with our previous CSO serials, creating a united approach to energy resilience (Serial Five), water security (Serial Two), infrastructure resilience (Serial One), nature-based solutions (Serial Three), and sustainable procurement (Serial Four). Together, we’re ensuring the Navy and Marine Corps remain agile, resilient, and ready?for the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Keep an eye on the Department of the Navy as leaders lean in and help put these plans into action. With each new step forward, we amplify our ability to protect our nation, preserve our resources, and power a force capable of meeting future demands head-on.
Sustainability is security, learn more?and join me in strengthening our Navy and Marine Corps. We each have a part to play—let’s keep moving forward together!