Staff Reports
Reports are surfacing that many of America’s brave service members are not living in the conditions they deserve. A coalition of military resident advocacy groups has raised alarms about health hazards and substandard living conditions on various military bases. It appears that the Department of Defense might need to adjust its priorities from funding hot air balloon rides for top brass to actually addressing the needs of the troops.
It turns out mold, contaminated water, and pest infestations are just a few of the charming amenities offered at some military installations. This cozy living experience includes peeling lead paint and poor air quality, which surely make for delightful conversation starters at the barracks. Perhaps the Pentagon thinks that living like this builds character, but it raises the question: how much character can be built when service members are living among carcinogens and toxins?
Pentagon Responds After Troubling Photos Show 'Appalling Conditions' on US Military Bases via. When illegals are living better than our troops, you know this administration has gone down the toilet! @WestJournalism https://t.co/vTveQpJLVj
— DAC (@Hopscotch800) August 28, 2024
A newly released Government Accountability Office report sounds the alarm, indicating that barracks conditions aren’t even on the Pentagon’s radar. With broken windows and fire systems that resemble Swiss cheese, service members are left wondering if they were recruited to fight for their country or simply to survive the hazards of their own living quarters. Apparently, the DOD doesn’t consider the state of housing to be a high priority, making one wonder what exactly they do prioritize. More spaghetti Westerns about heroic leaders making dubious decisions, no doubt.
Despite the alarming findings, a DOD representative assures that a new Housing Feedback System has been created to allow service members to voice their complaints anonymously. This certainly sounds like a solution—after all, how could anything possibly go wrong when you hand troops a suggestion box while they’re dodging mold spores and questionable plumbing? Many would argue that this system could use a little more “action” and a little less “feedback.” Perhaps they could have called it the “Housing Foot in the Door System” to better reflect the experience of service members hoping to get a living situation that doesn’t involve combat against vermin.
And yet, among all the complaints, one North Carolina representative is making noise about improvements. Republican Rep. Richard Hudson isn’t mincing words when he insists that the Army needs to “get serious” about fixing the appalling conditions at bases like Fort Bragg/Fort Liberty. The ambitious lawmaker clearly knows how to tackle real issues instead of engaging in political theater about side issues or conducting investigations that lead nowhere—improvements in housing for our troops should be right at the top of the list.
When it comes to ensuring the well-being of America’s service members, the message is simple: not on their watch. The military ought to remember that asking brave men and women to enlist and serve the country shouldn’t also mean asking them to brave mold-infested, pest-riddled, third-world conditions. Until then, heroic service members are not only fighting for the nation overseas but also weathering their own battles at home. Maybe it’s time for the Pentagon to step up and ensure the life of a soldier isn’t one filled with bouts of toxic reality.
