{"id":2042910,"date":"2023-09-24T03:31:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-24T07:31:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/american-troops-living-in-horrible-conditions-face-risk-of-diseases-and-poor-mental-health-watchdog\/"},"modified":"2023-09-24T03:37:53","modified_gmt":"2023-09-24T07:37:53","slug":"american-troops-living-in-horrible-conditions-face-risk-of-diseases-and-poor-mental-health-watchdog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/american-troops-living-in-horrible-conditions-face-risk-of-diseases-and-poor-mental-health-watchdog\/","title":{"rendered":"US Troops Endure Terrible Living Conditions, Risk Disease and Mental Health Issues: Watchdog"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Famerican-troops-living-in-horrible-conditions-face-risk-of-diseases-and-poor-mental-health-watchdog%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2042910&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<p>Thousands of American\u2062 military personnel are living \u2062in deplorable conditions, exposed to sewage, toxic water, \u2063mold, and\u200b potential infections, according to a recent report\u200d by a\u2062 governmental \u2063watchdog.\u200c The\u200c report blames the Defense Department for the \u200ddire situation.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>The U.S.\u200d Government Accountability Office\u200b (GAO) conducted inspections \u200dat 10 military installations across the country.\u200d Shockingly,\u200c some of the barracks failed to meet\u2064 even the &#8220;minimum standards\u2064 for assignment \u2064or \u2063occupancy&#8221; \u2064set by the Department of Defense \u200d(DOD). The\u200c report states,\u200b &#8220;We found \u200cthat living conditions in\u2062 some military barracks may pose potentially serious risks to the physical \u2064and\u200b mental health of service members, as well\u200b as\u200d their safety.&#8221; \u2062The inspected installations included\u2064 branches of the Air Force, \u2062Navy,\u200c and Marine Corps.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>During\u200d the inspections, GAO observed various living conditions that \u200cwere negatively impacting service members, such as mold, broken fire \u200dalarm systems, and extreme temperatures. These conditions\u2062 were reported by both service \u200dmembers and\u200d unit leaders.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/epochtv\/reports-on-chinas-700-billion-defense-budget-miss-one-key-point-antonio-graceffo-5496890?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>Reports on China&#8217;s\u2063 $700 Billion \u200cDefense Budget Miss One Key Point: Antonio\u200d Graceffo<\/h3>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/22\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/epochtv\/reports-on-chinas-700-billion-defense-budget-miss-one-key-point-antonio-graceffo-5496890?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/defense-bill-fails-procedural-vote-in-house-second-time-5496093?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>Defense Bill Fails Procedural\u200d Vote in House for 2nd Time<\/h3>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/21\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/defense-bill-fails-procedural-vote-in-house-second-time-5496093?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Some personnel expressed that the poor conditions of the \u2063barracks were affecting \u2063military readiness.<\/p>\n<p>The\u200c 10 inspected installations were Fort George\u2064 G. Meade, Maryland; Fort Carson,\u2064 Colorado; Joint Base\u2062 Andrews-Naval Air Facility\u200c Washington, Maryland; Joint Base \u2062San Antonio, Texas; Naval Support Activity Bethesda,\u200b Maryland; Naval Base Coronado, California; Naval Base San Diego, California; \u2062Marine Corps Base\u2062 Quantico, Virginia; Marine Corps Recruit \u200bDepot, San Diego,\u2063 California; and Camp Pendleton, California.<\/p>\n<p>The report \u2063holds the DOD responsible for neglecting the \u200dbarracks and accuses the department\u2063 of \u200b&#8221;insufficient\u2062 oversight.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode post-related-videos\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>According to the report, &#8220;Reports of poor conditions have raised questions\u200b about DOD&#8217;s management of barracks.&#8221;\u200c It \u200cfurther\u200c states that the Defense Department does not track\u2063 information on the condition \u200cof \u200cbarracks or collaborate on initiatives to improve them. This lack of\u200d oversight hampers the\u2064 department&#8217;s ability to address long-standing challenges in barracks\u200d conditions.<\/p>\n<p>The report highlights that the DOD lacks &#8220;complete funding information&#8221; to make informed\u2064 decisions regarding the barracks. Despite requesting $15 billion for overall facility sustainment in \u200dfiscal 2024, \u200dthe department cannot determine how much of this funding will be allocated to the barracks.<\/p>\n<p>The \u200dreport reveals that the\u200b DOD is\u2062 unaware of the amount \u200cspent \u200con housing allowances for service members who should \u2063be living in barracks but cannot due to\u200d insufficient \u2064space \u2064or poor living conditions.<\/p>\n<p>During\u2063 one inspection,\u200b GAO detected a\u200b foul\u2062 odor throughout the barracks, which was\u200c later identified\u2062 as methane gas leaking from aging plumbing \u200bwith cracked sewage pipes that require replacement.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Some personnel reported that the tap water in their barracks was\u200c often brown and appeared unsafe for drinking. \u2064 <\/p>\n<h2>Living Conditions<\/h2>\n<p> Military personnel also\u200d complained about\u200d pests, including cockroaches, wasps, rodents, and bedbugs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>According to the report, &#8220;At three of the 10 installations, \u2063officials informed us that service members are \u2064generally responsible for pest\u200d control and removing hazardous materials such as\u2063 mold and sewage from the barracks. Additionally, officials at one installation\u2064 stated \u2064that service members are responsible for cleaning \u2062biological waste left in \u2064a \u2062barracks room after a suicide.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>A colorized \u2064scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of Legionella pneumophila bacteria. (Janice Haney Carr\/CDC\/Public Domain)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>During their visit to one installation in \u200cOctober\u2063 of last \u2062year, GAO discovered that the barracks had \u200bbeen shut down due to the\u200b presence of\u2064 legionella bacteria in the plumbing systems. Legionella bacteria is\u2064 responsible \u200cfor \u2064causing Legionnaires&#8217; disease,\u200d a type of\u200d pneumonia that is \u200dfatal for approximately one\u2062 in ten infected individuals.<\/p>\n<p>Officials informed \u200dGAO that only barracks housing healthcare \u200dpatients undergo\u200c water tests for legionella, as they fall under the \u200bJoint Commission\u200c health standards.<\/p>\n<p>Mold was cited as a\u2063 major problem\u200d within\u200d the barracks. One resident\u200c was \u200chospitalized due to a respiratory illness associated with mold,\u200b while another individual&#8217;s respiratory issues were resolved \u200cafter moving to\u2063 a different \u2064barrack.<\/p>\n<p>The living conditions in the barracks\u200c took a toll on the mental health of the members, resulting in\u2064 increased anxiety, panic attacks,\u2063 and even substance abuse\u200b among some personnel. The\u200c report states, &#8220;Service members\u2062 in one \u200ddiscussion group said that\u200b a barracks \u2062resident was recently hospitalized due to a\u2062 drug \u2063overdose. They added that they \u200cbelieve poor living conditions can contribute \u200dto\u2064 increased suicide\u200c rates for \u200cbarracks residents. Overall, service\u200d members or first sergeants at three\u2062 installations \u2064brought up concerns about\u2063 suicide ideation.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Following the investigation, GAO made 31 recommendations to the DOD, including obtaining funding information, improving oversight of barracks programs, and \u200bproviding guidance on condition assessments. The DOD concurred with 23 of the recommendations and partially concurred with 8. <\/p>\n<h2>Malfunctioning Systems, Crime<\/h2>\n<p> \u200c The report also\u200b revealed \u2064that\u2063 military personnel had to deal with malfunctioning\u2062 systems\u200b in\u2063 the \u200bbarracks. &#8220;Officials at all 10 installations\u200c we visited told \u200cus that broken, malfunctioning, or non-existent\u200d heating, ventilation,\u2063 and air conditioning\u2064 systems \u200cwere a problem \u2062in barracks.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>GAO found that the poor \u2062quality of air conditioning was significantly impacting the\u200b quality of life for service \u200bmembers.\u2064 Some individuals \u200dstruggled to sleep due to extreme temperatures, comparing trying\u2062 to sleep in the barracks to standing in the sun all night because of broken air conditioning.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Soldiers assigned to 2nd Infantry\u2064 Brigade\u200d Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, \u2062prepare to clear \u200ca building during\u2063 a\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/army-and-marines-scramble-to-purchase-new-javelins-and-stingers\/\" title=\"Army and Marines Scramble to Purchase New Javelins and Stingers\">combined arms live-fire exercise<\/a> at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, on Aug. 9, 2018. \u2063(1st Lt. \u200cRyan DeBooy\/U.S. Army)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Members reported that room temperatures would exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit when air conditioners broke\u200b down, which happened frequently. Additionally, some personnel had to purchase their own portable space heaters during cold winter months\u200d due to broken heating \u200bsystems.<\/p>\n<p>Four installations had broken\u2062 fire safety systems, \u2062including \u200ca \u2062dispatch panel used to alert emergency response teams during a fire. At another\u2062 installation, fire safety systems were non-operational, requiring \u200bmembers\u2063 to take on fire-watch \u2063duties.<\/p>\n<p>Three installations had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/crime-files-portland-progressives-helped-get-a-wife-beater-out-of-prison-he-killed-her\/\" title=\"Portland Progressives aided the release of a domestic abuser, resulting in a tragic loss of life.\">broken door locks<\/a> and\u200c windows, raising concerns about potential intruders and attacks on personnel \u200bdue to unsecured doors.<\/p>\n<p>Seven out of ten installations experienced security issues, with malfunctioning security\u200b cameras \u2062and reports \u200cof squatters living in vacant barrack rooms. Additionally, poor \u200bliving conditions were \u2062believed to contribute to theft, \u200bproperty damage, and the risk of sexual assault.<\/p>\n<p>According to DOD \u2063data,\u200b out of \u200d37,100 reported incidents\u2064 of sexual assault from fiscal year 2015 to 2021, approximately 11,200 incidents\u2063 occurred in on-base housing, including barracks. The\u200b majority\u2063 of victims, around 10,600, were enlisted service members with the rank of\u200c E-5 or below, who typically reside in barracks.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>The Epoch Times has reached out to the Defense Department for comment. <\/p>\n<h2>Military Recruitment Challenges<\/h2>\n<p> The GAO report comes at\u2064 a time when the American military is facing \u200brecruitment\u200d challenges. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, stating that they had \u2064set an &#8220;ambitious goal&#8221;\u2063 of recruiting 65,000 new \u200bpersonnel this year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>However,\u2062 she admitted, &#8220;We are not going \u200dto make\u2064 that goal.\u200c We are doing everything we can to\u2063 get as close to it as possible, but we are going to fall\u2062 short.&#8221;\u200b Last year, the \u200cArmy announced that it had\u2063 missed its 2022 recruitment goal by 25 percent.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Some\u2064 military\u2063 families\u2063 are also\u200d discouraging their children from joining the service due to the \u2062strict COVID-19 policies implemented by the\u200c military.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>In a \u200crecent \u200binterview with The Epoch Times, Chris Collins, a former Coast Guard member, shared his intention\u200d to\u200b dissuade his\u2062 children\u2063 from joining the military. He cited distrust and the current culture as reasons for his decision, stating, &#8220;I \u2063actually convinced \u2062my\u200d brother \u200cto join shortly after he left high school. \u2063He picked the Air \u2062Force as his branch,\u200d and I regret the decision\u2063 to encourage him\u2063 to join because it \u200bdidn&#8217;t \u2062work out well for him.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>&#8220;The\u200c vaccine was a huge thing for \u200dme&#8230; The higher-ups\u2064 of military leadership, the people I\u2062 once trusted \u200cto\u2062 have my best interest\u2064 in \u200cmind, \u2063flat out ignored everything I said in opposition to taking\u2062 the vaccine.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How can the government ensure that the \u2062physical and mental\u2064 health of service\u2063 members is not \u2063compromised due to deplorable living conditions?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Be provided with suitable and safe living conditions. This\u200b lack of transparency and \u2064accountability is deeply \u200dtroubling\u2063 and raises serious concerns about the well-being of our military personnel.<\/p>\n<p>The findings of\u2062 this report are shocking and \u200cunacceptable. Our brave men \u200dand women in uniform put their lives on the line \u200dto protect our country, and they deserve to be housed in decent and safe accommodations. It is appalling that they are being\u2064 exposed to sewage, toxic water, mold, \u2063and other hazardous conditions.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, living\u200b in such deplorable conditions can have\u2064 severe consequences for the physical and mental health of our \u2062service members. Mold and toxic substances can lead \u200cto respiratory problems and other health issues, while extreme \u200ctemperatures and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/american-troops-living-in-horrible-conditions-face-risk-of-diseases-and-poor-mental-health-watchdog\/\" title=\"US Troops Endure Terrible Living Conditions, Risk Disease and Mental Health Issues: Watchdog\">broken fire alarm systems pose significant safety risks<\/a>. \u200bThese conditions not only undermine the welfare of our military personnel but also hinder their ability to perform their duties effectively.<\/p>\n<p>The responsibility for this dire situation lies squarely\u200d with the Defense Department. The report rightly calls out the department for its insufficient \u2064oversight and failure to \u2062address the \u2064long-standing challenges in barracks conditions. It is unacceptable that the DOD does not track information on the condition \u200cof barracks or collaborate on\u200b initiatives to improve \u200dthem. This lack of oversight and accountability only perpetuates the cycle of neglect and reinforces \u2062the disregard for the well-being \u200cof \u2064our service members.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, the report highlights the\u2064 lack of funding information\u200d available to the DOD, hindering its ability to \u2062make informed decisions regarding\u2063 barracks. This lack of clarity raises questions about the department&#8217;s \u2063commitment to ensuring suitable living conditions for our military personnel. How can the DOD request $15 billion for facility sustainment without any knowledge of how \u200bmuch of \u200dthis funding will be allocated to \u200dthe barracks?<\/p>\n<p>It is \u200dimperative that immediate action be taken\u200c to \u200daddress this crisis and \u2063ensure that our military\u200d personnel\u200d are provided with the basic necessities and safe living conditions they deserve. The Defense Department must prioritize the well-being of our service members and allocate the necessary \u2064resources to improve barracks conditions. Additionally, the department must establish a system of\u200b regular inspections and reporting to ensure ongoing maintenance and timely addressing \u200dof\u200c any issues that arise.<\/p>\n<p>We owe it to our brave men and women in uniform to provide them with the respect, dignity, and safe living conditions they deserve. The findings of this report\u200c should serve as \u2062a catalyst for change, prompting the Defense Department to \u2064take immediate action to rectify the\u200c deplorable conditions faced by our military personnel.\u2063 Our service members deserve\u200c nothing less\u2062 than our unwavering support and commitment to\u200c their well-being.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>American military personnel are living in unsanitary conditions, facing health risks due to sewage, toxic water, mold, and infections, according to a recent report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The Defense Department is held responsible for this dire situation. GAO officials inspected 10 military installations across the country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":186,"featured_media":2042911,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2042910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2042910","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/186"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2042910"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2042910\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2042911"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2042910"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2042910"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2042910"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}