WASHINGTON — Lawmakers are demanding answers after an explosive new report from the Government Accountability Office outlined the troubling conditions that the nation's junior enlisted personnel face in military barracks.
The problems include everything from a lack of hot water, to inoperative fire suppression equipment, to mold.
"I hope our service chiefs are paying attention to this personally. They need to. To me, it's a leadership problem," said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Nebraska).
At issue is the "poor" conditions, as described, at some of the more than 9,000 U.S. military junior enlisted barracks across the country and around the world.
The new GAO report uncovered a long list of health and safety deficiencies, that also include roaches, bed bugs and overflowing sewage.
"We spoke to a number of installation commanders who frankly told me, told us they felt sick about the conditions that their junior enlisted service members were living in," said Elizabeth Field, GAO Director, Defense Capabilities and Management, during a hearing Wednesday of the House Armed Services Committee.
Committee members are worried about the findings' impacts on recruiting and retention.
"It hurts my heart when I hear other Navy and military parents say I can't recommend this job to my kids for this reason. So, we have to do better," said Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Virginia, 2nd District).
Service branch leaders acknowledged there is a problem and vowed to make improvements.
"It's clear today we have significant work ahead in our unaccompanied housing to provide safe, clean, reliable, comfortable and dignified places for our sailors and Marines to call home," said Robert Thompson, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environment.
"For the Air Force, none of our members should be living in a room that is substandard," said Robert Moriarty, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations.
"Going forward we are committing to spending at least a billion dollars a year to improve barracks across the Army," said Carla Coulson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Housing and Partnerships.