NATO member state military budgets are under siege while a host of new emerging security challenges threaten the Alliance’s security.  Cyber threats and challenges to network systems such as energy infrastructure are chief among these threats requiring military planners to think outside-the-box to explore how military capabilities are best suited to meeting mission requirements while being concurrently extendable to protecting civil society and infrastructure if possible.   Microgrid development for military installations, if tied to the civilian grid, can provide increased resiliency not only for the military but also for the civilian communities that host these installations.  A compelling argument is made how to make ‘smart defense’ smarter in the energy field through a comprehensive examination of the value of this technology.