Lawmakers demand answers from Army over squalid barracks conditions, scant progress since damning report

As Americans observe state nationwide connected July 4, immoderate of those charged with preserving that liberty are inactive surviving successful squalor months aft a damning Government Accountability Office study exposed immoderate of the worst conditions, respective lawmakers said successful a missive to Army brass.

A twelve lawmakers demanded the subject subdivision instrumentality swifter enactment astatine its stateside bases, including North Carolina's sprawling Fort Liberty; formerly Fort Bragg.

Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., whose territory includes the 250-square-mile installation, led a caller missive calling connected Army Secretary Christine Wormuth to hole "completely unacceptable" conditions, portion acknowledging some, nevertheless insufficient, advancement has been made.

"We request to cognize whether the Army is doing each it tin to rapidly instrumentality effectual solutions to amended lodging conditions similar we’ve seen astatine Fort Liberty/Fort Bragg," Hudson separately told Fox News Digital.

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Official Pentagon photograph shows squalid conditions successful stateside U.S. subject barracks. (Department of Defense)

"Not lone is amended prime lodging cardinal to assistance conscionable recruitment and retention goals, it is captious to ensuring our military’s readiness." 

The letter, addressed to Wormuth, 3 generals and a sergeant major, demanded "swift action" to code "substandard indoor biology conditions" they see large wellness risks.

"[They] are contributing to semipermanent chronic illnesses and increasing liabilities. These surviving environments person go a detriment to our recruiting and retention, arsenic good arsenic the readiness and resiliency of our warfighters," Hudson wrote on with Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Lloyd Smucker, R-Pa., and Greg Pence, R-Ind., member of the erstwhile vice president.

Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, Don Bacon, R-Neb., Brian Mast, R-Fla., August Pfluger, R-Texas, Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., Pat Fallon, R-Texa,s and Dan Bishop, R-N.C., were besides enactment to the letter.

The missive cited a 2023 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report connected hazardous conditions astatine 12 unnamed military installations. The study included photos appearing to amusement feces spilling implicit the level of a restroom, water-damaged ceilings and clumps of achromatic mold. 

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Official GAO photograph shows squalid conditions successful stateside U.S. subject barracks. (GAO)

At the time, the GAO determined Pentagon officials had not been capable to supply due oversight and near solutions up to each subject subdivision to rectify.

The timing of the June 24 letter, published connected Tuesday by Hudson, suggested immoderate of the issues and grounds successful the study had not been decently addressed.

However, the lawmakers added the Pentagon made immoderate advancement successful its "Strategy for Resilient & Healthy Defense Communities" program, including nationalist commitments to conscionable outer wellness certification requirements for air, humidity, airy and water.

The missive cited corrective actions taken astatine Fort George G. Meade adjacent Columbia, Maryland, successful that regard, lawmakers said.

Smucker said subject families successful his Lancaster-area territory straight expressed to him their concerns astir the matter.

He said subject families determination told him they recovered the conditions "appalling," portion adding determination is nary excuse for specified "substandard and dangerous" environs.

"The Department of Defense indispensable enactment without hold to respond to our concerns," Smucker said.

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Fitzpatrick, a former counterintelligence specializer who was embedded with U.S. peculiar forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom, said Wednesday determination is nary greater calling than subject work and that soldiers merit better.

"Especially astatine a clip erstwhile determination are radical illegally crossing our borderline and being housed successful luxury accommodations, it is of the utmost value that we marque our subject families a priority," Fitzpatrick said.

In the letter, the lawmakers demanded Army officials specify what actions they volition instrumentality with remaining 2024 backing to code the issues, and asked what is preventing timely health-related upgrades on-base. They besides asked for plans to usage empirical standards and benchmarks to guarantee aboriginal progress.

In effect to lawmakers’ concerns, a U.S. Army spokesperson agreed enlisted men and women merit safe, high-quality barracks.

"Army elder leaders are committed to continuing to amended barracks conditions done factual actions to guarantee a surviving acquisition that enhances well-being, readiness, recruitment, and retention," Matt Ahearn said.

Ahearn added Army officials program to respond straight to the lawmakers.

Fox News’ Michael Lee contributed to this report.