{"id":70873,"date":"2023-09-27T23:40:17","date_gmt":"2023-09-27T23:40:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/09\/27\/what-will-it-take-to-fix-so-many-lousy-barracks-lawmakers-ask\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:43:51","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:43:51","slug":"what-will-it-take-to-fix-so-many-lousy-barracks-lawmakers-ask","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2023\/09\/27\/what-will-it-take-to-fix-so-many-lousy-barracks-lawmakers-ask\/","title":{"rendered":"What will it take to fix so many lousy barracks? lawmakers ask"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Service members have told government auditors about rampant problems in their barracks \u2014 to include mold, broken heating and air conditioning systems, cramped rooms, overflowing sewage and much more \u2014 but not all service branches are asking troops about those living conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cService members have a lot to say and are eager for someone to listen,\u201d said Elizabeth Field, director of the Government Accountability Office\u2019s defense capabilities and management team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt will take years to address the chronic neglect and underfunding we uncovered,\u201d she told members of the House Armed Services Committee\u2019s quality of life panel Wednesday,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After listening to Field\u2019s testimony, lawmakers said they want to know why some troops are living in such poor conditions, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2023\/04\/24\/as-military-maintenance-projects-languish-funds-often-go-unused\/\" target=\"_blank\">how much funding<\/a> is needed to fix the problem, and how to ensure better oversight and accountability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2023\/09\/20\/poor-oversight-leaves-military-barracks-in-dire-condition-report-says\/\" target=\"_blank\">GAO audit of 10 military barracks<\/a> revealed that DoD has neither adequate information about the condition of barracks nor a complete understanding of  how the poor conditions affect morale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Military members could have let them know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mold was a common complaint, Fields said. She quoted one service member who said, \u201cMold in the barracks makes you feel expendable, like we don\u2019t matter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Malfunctioning heating and air conditioning systems are another problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOne Marine said, \u2018I often wake up at night sweating from the heat, itching from bedbugs and feeling like I am suffocating,\u2019 &#8221; Field said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Safety is also an issue. Some troops reported that their barracks room doors don\u2019t lock, with one member alleging that sexual assaults happen more often than people think, Field said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2023\/09\/20\/poor-oversight-leaves-military-barracks-in-dire-condition-report-says\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"132\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screen-Shot-2023-09-19-at-6.01.48-PM.png.png?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Poor oversight leaves military barracks in dire condition, report says<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The watchdog report documented widespread housing issues with the barracks already familiar to many lower-ranking service members across the armed forces.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ask the troops<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among the GAO\u2019s 31 recommendations for improving barracks: DoD should require the services to survey troops in their unaccompanied housing in a consistent and comparable way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Navy and the Marine Corps are the only two services that survey service members about the quality of their barracks, and none of the services ask whether the condition of their barracks affects their decision about whether to reenlist, Field said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their reasons? Some service officials told GAO that troops living in barracks aren\u2019t reliable when it comes to completing surveys or replying to email and telephone inquiries, so it isn\u2019t worth trying to solicit their opinions. \u201cOther officials told us that the condition of the barracks is not a key factor in military retention and therefore doesn\u2019t merit inclusion as a topic in already lengthy surveys,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., a retired Air Force brigadier general who heads up the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/pay-benefits\/2023\/01\/30\/better-pay-for-junior-troops-will-be-top-focus-of-new-house-panel\/\" target=\"_blank\">military quality of life panel<\/a>, noted that he served as base commander at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and Offutt Air Force Base in his home state. If these conditions had been present in his barracks, he would have been fired, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhere has the accountability been?\u201d he asked. \u201cWe need to put our finger on it and get it fixed. We can\u2019t allow the situation to persist. It\u2019s an issue not only of justice and dignity, but also of military readiness. When service members are preoccupied with their health and safety, they cannot focus on their mission.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the new panel began its work, Bacon assumed that they were going to hear primarily about service members and food insecurity. But as they visit bases, \u201cwe\u2019ve actually heard more from our military members and family members about the quality of housing and the housing allowance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s an urgent need for DoD to implement oversight of our unaccompanied housing and to continue steadfastly in their mission to ensure military families in privatized housing are taken care of,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"807\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/8030301.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-108419\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/8030301.jpg.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/8030301.jpg.jpg?resize=300,202 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/8030301.jpg.jpg?resize=768,516 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/8030301.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,689 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Barracks at Fort Moore, Ga., have been selected for the Army&#8217;s Smart Barracks program, with plans to implement changes across many installations. The initiative aims to increase efficiency and raise morale. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">No quick fix<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Barracks problems are the direct result of \u201cmany years of not looking closely at deferred maintenance, the investment,\u201d said Carla Coulson, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for installations, housing and partnerships. \u201cSo, now we are, in effect, playing catch up.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Service officials testified that they recognize there are significant problems and are taking steps to address the GAO\u2019s recommendations. A year ago, the Army inspected every room of every barracks building, Coulson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Army has committed to spending at least $1 billion a year on barracks, she said. From fiscal 2024 through FY 2028, the service can address 113 of the 300 barracks buildings in poor or failing condition, Coulson said. But it will take $6.5 billion \u2014 in addition to what they\u2019re already spending\u2014 to address all the problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If barracks renovations and repairs aren\u2019t fully funded, however, the Army will see 110 barracks in \u201cgood or adequate\u201d condition slide down into the \u201cpoor or failing\u201d category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe don\u2019t make much progress unless we ensure we\u2019re doing preventive maintenance,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Auditors found there was more sense of ownership of the barracks issue at the installation level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe spoke to a number of installation commanders who told us they felt sick about the conditions their junior enlisted service members were living in,\u201d Field said. \u201cThey often recounted facing impossible choices between where to put limited funding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At one installation, she said, officials requested funds for a new barracks for 10 years in a row and never got the money. \u201cThat\u2019s, in part, why installation commanders are throwing up their hands,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One aspect that troubled the auditors was that defense officials \u201cvery much had a hands-off approach to this topic,\u201d Field said. At that level, officials couldn\u2019t answer basic questions: How many barracks are there? Do they comply with standards? How many service members live in unaccompanied housing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DoD needs to gather the information it needs \u2014 such as the condition of barracks \u2014 to make more strategic decisions about where to put limited resources, Field said. The department also needs to put uniform barracks standards in place. At th same time, the services need to reevaluate policies on who is required to live in barracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFacility criticality\u201d needs a whole new approach, said Robert Thompson, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations and environment. \u201cThe fact that these are their homes makes it mission critical.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The services have been talking with defense officials about the need to identify \u201clivability standards\u201d for barracks, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5262\" height=\"3262\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/210309-F-CB366-1035.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-108424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/210309-F-CB366-1035.jpg.jpg 5262w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/210309-F-CB366-1035.jpg.jpg?resize=300,186 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/210309-F-CB366-1035.jpg.jpg?resize=768,476 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/210309-F-CB366-1035.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,635 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/210309-F-CB366-1035.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,952 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/210309-F-CB366-1035.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1270 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 5262px) 100vw, 5262px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Airman Brody Yates, 628th Civil Engineer Squadron structural apprentice, left, sands drywall as Tech. Sgt. Jason Goss, 28th CES structural craftsman,applies joint compound at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, in March 2021. CES\u2019s maintain and repair all base facilities. (Staff Sgt. David Owsianka\/Air Force)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s clear we have significant work ahead in our unaccompanied housing to provide safe, clean, reliable, comfortable and dignified places for our sailors and Marines to call home,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If DoD fails to implement all of GAO\u2019s recommendations in a \u201cmeaningful and timely manner,\u201d Field said the adency would encourage Congress to put them into law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bacon pointed to the roll Congress has played over the past few years to improve privatized family housing, passing legislation to address persistent problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think we have to do the same thing for our barracks,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to put a focus on it, a spotlight on it. But the services also have to tell us what they need.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;It will take years to address the chronic neglect and underfunding we uncovered&#8221; in barracks, GAO says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":88969,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":69,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,23,12,25,15,69],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3302],"class_list":["post-70873","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pay-benefits","category-your-marine-corps"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"XOZVPZKK3RBSXBRAYDZVRHNFAQ","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-military\/2023\/09\/27\/what-will-it-take-to-fix-so-many-lousy-barracks-lawmakers-ask\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What will it take to fix so many lousy barracks? 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