The US' military barracks are overflowing with leaking sewage and have pests running rampant, an investigation has revealed.
Troops are also forced to put up with black mold, squatters and gas leaks, and some report the squalid conditions are causing them to develop physical and mental health problems. The horror discoveries were made by the independent organisation Government Accountability Office (GAO) and detailed in a report titled Poor Living Conditions Undermine Quality of Life and Readiness.
"Concerns about poor living conditions and how DoD (Department of Defence) is managing the barracks go back decades," the GAO said on its website. "We observed barracks in poor condition, including some with safety risks like sewage overflow and inoperable fire systems."
READ MORE: Russia's nuclear sub graveyard is 'slo-mo Chernobyl' as experts fear '6-Hiroshima' blast
For more of the latest news from the Daily Star, click here.
The report looked into 10 barracks in California, Colorado, Texas, and DC, and saw investigators speak to 12 discussion groups. All 12 raised concerns over black mold in their living quarters, while three said the poor conditions had contributed towards substance abuse issues.
At one installation investigators reported a "bad odour throughout the barracks", which officials later said had been caused by a methane gas leak "out of aging plumbing with sewage pipes that routinely crack and require replacement." The report added: "These officials acknowledged that exposure to methane gas is a health risk."
During a visit to one of the barracks the GAO found troops had even been asked to clean up a room after one serviceman died by suicide. "Officials at one installation told us service members are responsible for cleaning biological waste that may remain in a barracks room after a suicide," the report said.
-
Blokes dressed in Nazi uniforms crash quiet seaside town's '1940s festival'
One of the barracks was also overrun by squatters, one of whom was an ex-serviceman who had been discharged but continued living at the facility. Investigators were told there had been repeated failed attempts to remove the squatters.
Security was so poor at one facility an "ex-spouse broke in and physically assaulted a service member in the barracks". Troops also reported being concerned about the risk of sexual abuse while at the bases.
And that's not the only worry service personnel had about their living quarters โ many had fears for their health. One base visited in 2022 was shut down following an outbreak of Legionnaires' Disease, a potentially fatal form of pneumonia. "Officials told us that only barracks housing health care patients, and thus subject to Joint Commission health standards, undergo water testing that would reveal legionella," the report said.
"They also said they do not test other barracks to ensure similar levels of water quality and safety because they are not required to do so."
Another member of the military claimed they had developed respiratory problems because of the black mold at their barracks. Others said the horror living conditions were contributing towards mental health problems โ including suicidal ideation.
"[Service members] believe poor living conditions can contribute to increased suicide rates for barracks residents," the report continued. "Overall, service members or first sergeants at three installations brought up concerns about suicide ideation."
The GAO added the Department of Defence requested some $15billion (ยฃ12.2billion) in funding for facility sustainment for the upcoming fiscal year. However, they couldn't pinpoint how much of this would be spent on barracks.
"While DoD spends billions of dollars annually on its facilities, it's unable to identify how much funding goes toward barracks," the organisation said on its website.
The Daily Star has contacted the US' Department of Defence for comment.
To get more stories from Daily Star delivered straight to your inbox sign up to one of our free newsletters here .
Source: Read Full Article