A humvee testing the results of FP-64 road deterioration at OIHS / Photoshopper: Ellie Wright
When first driving to the school, one is greeted by jarring oscillation due to the potholes in the road. This is a continuing issue at the high school, as potholes have plagued both students and faculty alike. The reason given for this slow decay of infrastructure has been attributed to a lack of funds for the continuing repair of the road surface. While this is certainly part of the issue, it appears that not all of the issue lies solely in funding.
In recently leaked internal documents from the Department of Defense, we see that this also functions as a form of military preparedness for our youth. In a program titled “Bumpy Roads for Stable Futures,” they outline a military preparedness program designed to “prepare current high school students for the many future military fronts certain to arise in the next decade.” Teaching military preparedness in schools is no new concept, with many previous ideas having been proposed. However, this is the first time it has been thrust unwillingly and unknowingly upon students as a whole.
According to a press release by the Pentagon the program has experienced “remarkable success,” in addition saying “this program more than anything else has familiarized young drivers with driving in war-like environments.” In places where this program has been implemented, the road’s surfaces have been allowed to deteriorate, and in some cases are actively demolished. One of the tools most commonly used for this program is the FP-64 road deterioration developed by Lockheed Martin for a currently undisclosed sum. Be sure to watch carefully over the coming months to see how this situation pans out. It is discoveries like this that serve as reminders of how we must be ever vigilant of the world around us, even in the places we may least suspect.