This story originally was published by Real Clear Wire
By Tom Jurkowsky
During a visit to Guam a few weeks ago, Navy Secretary John Phelan was so appalled by the condition of the barracks he toured that he ordered leadership to move out the Sailors and Marines who were living in them. Phelan said he initially thought the buildings were condemned because of their appearance—exposed wires, badly corroded plumbing, water damage, and mold in the rooms.
Phelan’s findings and reaction prompted Vice Adm. Scott Gray, the head of Navy installations, to order a worldwide inspection of Navy barracks. In his email ordering the inspection, Gray attached photos from the Guam barracks and referred to their condition as “clearly neglected” and “unacceptable.” Gray also said the conditions are a failure of leadership.
Does it take a visit by the Secretary of the Navy to identify problems of this magnitude? The questions that arise immediately from the Secretary’s findings are: Where was our leadership on scene—not just senior officer leadership but senior enlisted leadership? Whatever happened to zone inspections or even walk-throughs of barracks by senior enlisted personnel? Is this what our military services have come to?
I had the privilege of serving the Navy as an enlisted sailor. When I lived in the barracks, our chief or leading petty officer would visit at least once a week, if not more. Were our rooms clean? Were the bathrooms clean and operating correctly? Were there any maintenance issues that needed attention?
When I reported to my first ship as a division officer, I knew how important a clean berthing compartment was to my division simply by the examples I saw when I was an enlisted sailor. I made it a point for either myself or my leading petty officer to visit our division’s compartment daily to ensure it was clean and fully functioning.
Sadly, the problems Secretary Phelan identified in Guam are not new. In fact, they have been occurring with housing for many years across all the services—both accompanied and unaccompanied.
Two years ago, the General Accountability Office (GAO) issued a disturbing report on the quality of living conditions at military barracks. While inspecting ten barracks, GAO investigators observed numerous potentially serious health and safety risks: mold and mildew, bug infestations, dysfunctional plumbing, no heating or air conditioning, inoperable fire systems and broken windows.
Military members told GAO investigators that the horrific barrack conditions affect their quality of life and readiness.
More alarming is the fact that the GAO found weaknesses in the Department of Defense’s (DoD) efforts to maintain and improve conditions. GAO said DoD assessments are unreliable. Many barracks housing thousands of service members simply do not meet DoD standards. For example, military officials at one facility GAO inspected gave its barracks a score of 90. Yet, the GAO investigators described the barracks as “uninhabitable.”
GAO’s findings two years ago were troubling then and even more so now because things have obviously not changed. As was the case two years ago, GAO’s findings reflect the importance that military leadership places on people. We continue to hear words from all the service leaders about the “importance of our people and their families.” Unfortunately, the words don’t match up with their actions.
For example, recent media reports have surfaced that indicate DoD was considering moving about $1 billion from “Army facilities and sustainment funding,” money initially earmarked for barracks maintenance and renovations, to the border mission. “Utilizing DoD funds to support the President’s top priorities underscores Secretary Hegseth’s commitment to spending every dollar wisely,” said one DoD official.
Translated—this means our service members hear the words about their value and importance but unfortunately, they and their families see those words as being empty and hollow.
“We found that the facilities that are so often the first to lose out on funding are the ones most directly tied to quality of life—barracks where junior enlisted service members live or child care centers,” said the senior GAO official who was testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“Service members have consistently told us that the condition of their housing, whether government-owned or privatized, impacts their perception of the military and in some cases, their decision on whether to reenlist,” the GAO official added.
Housing our military families and enlisted single service members safely and comfortably is a fundamental tenet of leadership. Failing to adequately support our military personnel by subjecting them to living with mold, bug infestation, inoperable plumbing, poor heating or any number of any other issues is a moral failing.
Hopefully, help may come to the services. President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” currently working its way through Congress includes $1 billion for barracks maintenance and improvements.
If approved, the money will be most welcome. But the problems with military housing we have seen over the years is not a problem for Congress to solve. The military’s own leaders should be solving these problems—looking after their own and taking a deep interest in their living conditions. It’s concerning that our military needs to be told by a service secretary and outside agencies like the GAO about abhorrent conditions in barracks.
RADM Tom Jurkowsky (U.S. Navy, ret.) served 31 years on active duty, entering the Navy as an enlisted sailor. He is the author of “The Secret Sauce for Organizational Success: Communications and Leadership on the Same Page.” He has served as a Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) board member.
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