WASHINGTON — Hundreds of thousands of junior enlisted personnel live in around 9,000 military barracks at more than 500 U.S. military bases But, there are big questions about the conditions they face at those facilities.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) last September found numerous deficiencies in unaccompanied housing facilities and said there's been "insufficient oversight" by the military branches and the Defense Department.
RELATED: New report finds 'poor' conditions at barracks which house thousands of junior enlisted personnel
The GAO uncovered a long list of health and safety problems, including roaches, bed bugs and overflowing sewage, calling the conditions "poor."
"I don't think anybody on this committee or any of you are expecting our service members to live in the Taj Mahal. I don't think that's their expectation. But this is disgusting. This is unsatisfactory," said Rep Waltz (R-Florida),
"I represent Virginia Beach, so, I have Naval Air Station Oceana, the East Coast Master Jet Base. And it is pathetic," said Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Virginia, 2nd District),
House Armed Services Committee Readiness Subcommittee members on Wednesday wanted to know what the Defense Department has done to fix things, in the months since that document was published.
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Installations, Energy and Environment Brendan Owens said the department spends $15.3 billion a year to maintain and repair existing infrastructure
He acknowledged, "We have a lot of work to do" and he admitted, "We can and must do better."
But the panel's chairman Mike Waltz pressed Owens further.
"Nobody has been actually held accountable. No one's actually been relieved or fired?' asked Waltz.
"Not that I'm aware of," responded Owens.
Waltz fired back: "I would submit to you that may be a critical part of the problem."
RELATED: Lawmakers demand answers, military leaders vow improvements at junior enlisted troops' barracks
Another part of the problem may be Congress and the redirections of funds that had been initially appropriated for base maintenance needs.
Rep. John Garamendi (D-California) said the money that last year was supposed to go towards the DOD's Facility Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization account was instead spent to build 13 F-35 fighter jets. "We go about reducing the money through the course of the years. It's diverted to other tasks," he said.
Several lawmakers asked service officials to use more privatized housing in an effort to shift the problem away from the military and its troops and onto private companies.