Photos: The Enemy Within – Surprise Inspections Find Grotesque Pattern at US Military Barracks
Newly released images from a government investigation have revealed the squalid conditions of the country’s military barracks.
Images of overflowing sewage flowing through bathrooms, moldy ceilings and pest infected bedrooms show the poor quality housing for the serving military despite an annual Pentagon budget of $831 billion.
The shocking report, titled ‘Poor Living Conditions Undermine Quality of Life and Readiness’ was released after an investigation conducted by the non-partisan Government Accountability Office.
The 118-page report, which was published Monday by the GAO, concluded that military leaders at the Pentagon have not been able to provide proper oversight over the problem and have mostly left the issues up to each individual service to fix.
Investigators from the GAO visited 12 unnamed military installations to compile the report and spoke with service members in discussion groups to gain their perspective. Many service members complained of dirty water that was seemingly unsafe to drink in their barracks buildings. Others complained of broken air conditioning and heating systems, forcing many members to purchase individual air conditioning units for their sweltering rooms or turn to unsafe space heaters to provide warmth in the colder months. Another issue noted by investigators was that some buildings lacked secure windows and doors that have in some cases led to squatters occupying the rooms.
In one extreme case, officials at one installation told GAO investigators that “service members are responsible for cleaning biological waste that may remain in a barracks room after a suicide.”
The investigation, conducted over 10 military bases in California, Colorado, Texas, and D.C, also revealed broken windows, busted A.C. units, black mold.
Investigators concluded that the Pentagon simply does not know where its money is being spent.
Photos below:
And if these conditions weren’t bad enough, there are often squatters sharing the barracks with enlisted members.
During one of the visits, investigators were told that, while attempts to remove squatters from one room had been made, they’d continually failed. One of the squatters was a discharged member of the armed forces, the report stated.
In another facility, security was so poor that “ex-spouse broke in and physically assaulted a service member in the barracks.”
Earlier this year, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth admitted in Congressional testimony that she wouldn’t want her children living in some of the military’s barracks, according to the Daily Mail.
Who would, quite frankly? The United States is supposed to be the greatest fighting force on earth and yet, we can’t keep our servicemembers in accommodations that are safe and sanitary. This GAO report should be a wake-up call for all of us: Those who serve America deserve better.
Michelle is an American conservative author she is committed to the constitutional principles of individual freedom, economic liberty, limited government, personal responsibility, and traditional values. She is a libertarian and provocateur who believes in freedom and liberty for all Americans. As a passionate journalist, she works relentlessly to uncover the corruption happening in Washington, while exposing politicians and individuals who wish to do us harm.
Jeeesh, when I was in, there were inspections quarterly.
These conditions wouldn’t be tolerated.
The unit commander would be blasted by the base commander.
Nothing will be done, because this isn’t anything new. Army barracks especially have been on the raggedy edge for decades. The Army and Marines are well known for not wanting their people getting too comfy, so that they’re prepared to suffer field conditions in times of war. It goes with the profession. Meanwhile, Air Force has brand new, pristine accommodations on most bases because they don’t send their folks “into the field,” and they know people will just leave if not given the creature comforts to offset the very low pay. My enlisted house on Hickam AFB was much better than any Army major’s house on Schofield.
Heck…when I was at Pope AFB in ’68-’69 we lived in open bay barracks. No AC, heat was marginal but we didn’t bitch. Some worked our butts off to keep it clean and orderly. Everyone needs to take some responsibility. (Yes, even the commanders – for the sake of their troops. Why has it got to this without some bitching from the officer corps?)
This is the fault of the officers in charge of that command.
BULLSHIT THERE AIR FORCE, THIS HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH LACK OF DISCIPLINE AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL. YOU LIVE LIKE A SLOB IN BARRACKS YOU GOING TO HAVE TROOPS DO THE SAME IN THE FIELD AND THEY WILL DIE WHEN THE SHTF. DISCIPLINE IS LACKING 100 FOLD IN TODAYS ARMY ATTENTION TO DETAIL IN TRAINING IS THE SAME LACK OF INVOLEMENT BY THE UPPER RANKS TOO CONTIBUTES TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN TODAY’S FORCE. IF THE UPPER ECHELON DOESN’T CARE THEN THE TROOPS DON’T EITHER. WE DON’T WANT TO OFFEND ANYONE THEY MIGHT HAVE A TRAUMATIC EPISODE/PTSD OR SOME SUCH BULLSHIT. THEY COULD JUST WHIP OUT THEIR STRESS CARD AND CRY AND WHINE ABOUT HOW THEY HAVE TO KEEP THEIR AO SQUARED AWAY. THEY USED TO HAVE BARRAKS INSPECTION AT LEAST TWICE A MONTH WE’D HAVE DRESS GREEN PAY DAY INSPECTIONS TOO, BOOTS HAD TO BEEN POLISHED WHEN WE HAD BLACK OR BROWN BOOTS UNIFORMS PRESSED HAIR AND MUSTACHES TRIMMED AND NEAT. THE OTHER DAY ON PETE FIELD SAW A WHITE TROOP WITH FULL BEARD!!! HOW IN THE HELL IS HE GOING TO HAVE HIS PROTECTIVE MASK SEAL IN CASE OF NBC ATTACK???? I COULD GO ON ALL DAY, BUT SEEING WITH MY OWN EYES AND TALIKNG TO TROOPS FROM CARSON AND PETE FIELD IT SURE IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT FORCE THEN WHEN I RETIRED AND EVEN THEN I SAW THE SIGNS OF IT GOING TO HELL.
No wonder they have trouble meeting their recruitment numbers . Who in their right mind would want to live in that kind of shit hole
100% fake article. Nothing about it is true. One of the pictures above suggests one of the rooms was occupied by a squattor. Ridiculous. Totally absurd. Bases are RESTRICTED. If someone was on base that didn’t belong, they would be reported in a flat second and arrested shortly thereafter. Barracks are INSPECTED on a regular basis. More than likely these pictures were taken from some abandoned military base that doesn’t have security.
There are no troops living in those conditions. FULL STOP! What the report didn’t say or take pictures of were the housing accommodations. And not to put too fine a [point on it, but most of our military lives with their families in government quarters or off base in a civilian neighborhood! This is much ado about nothing!
You really do not know what you are talking about. I was a DPW in a military base, I barely had enough funds for all the repairs and maintenance that was required. I had to spend most of those funds keeping the base looking pretty for the generals and senior offices and their wants and desires. I had little or no funds to keep the enlisted facilities maintained. Unless you be there you are. Are not very well informed.
No surprise since all the money is going to Ukraine and to gender training and transitions in the military.
Military “leadership” is focused on addressing much more critical issues that face servicemembers, like racism indoctrination, forcing diversity quotas, and mandating correct pronoun usage!
EXSQUESE ME BUT HOW DO SQUATERS GET ON MILITARY INSTALLATIONS???? YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MILITARY ID OR GOVERNMENT WORKER ID TO GET ON POST OR BASE. PERIOD. AND EXACTLY WHERE IS THE CHAIN OF COMMAND IN ALL OF THIS??? THE SERGEANTS MAJOR THE FIRST SERGEANTS AND PLATOON SERGEANTS???? THE BATTALION COMMANDERS, COMPANY COMMADERS AND PLATOON LEADERS??? OR THEY SO WRAPPED UP IN DEI,ESG AND CRT THAT THEY DON’T HAVE TIME TO LOOK AFTER THE TROOPS AND THEIR BRIGADE, BATTALION, COMPANY AND PLATOON AREAS… IN MY DAY IF IT RUSTED WE PAINTED IT, IF IT BROKE WE FIXED IT, IF THE AREA WAS MESSY WE HAD G.I. PARTIES TILL EVERYTHING WAS CLEAN. THAT’S THE WAY THE MILITARY USED TO BE. AND IF THE BATTALION REPAIR AND UTILITY SERGEANT COULDN’T FIX IT WE CALL BASE OR POST MAINTENCE AND PUT IN WORK ORDERS FOR REPAIRS. SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS??? OH YEAH, BUSH, OBAMA, AND BIDEN. AND THEIR NEW WORLD ORDER CRAP.