GAO: Military barracks with rats, sewage, gas leaks ...

Most of the 800+ Billion of the DoD budget goes to the contractors. Facilities are a nightmare, I've seen it first hand.

 

Future work for Morgan and Morgan.

 

MILCON is extremely complicated and I believe that you cannot do it on a CR. I'm wondering if this included National Guard bases as well, since those bases are not great and not meant to house troops for a long period of time.

 

I know the barracks they are talking about in DC. Guess much hasn’t changed since the 90s. Used to sleep outside on the roof deck some summers because the AC was always busted.

 

I can actually see that. It's not hard to get onto a military base if you really, really want to. A lot of those barracks are not lived in for long periods of time and I'm sure some Officer of the Day do not go and check every building. I use to train at Fort Indiantown Gap in PA when I was a battery commander. The barracks we stayed in were not great but they were only occupied probably about once every couple months.

 

Don’t they scan your ID?

 

They do but if you are a vagrant looking to squat, how hard is it to jump or cut through a fence? Out in 29 Palms, they have problems with crazy people running out into the impact area to grab the metal from the arty rounds to sell for scrap.

 

I understand not having the funds but does some of these issues fall on the base commander?

 

Some. The vagrants squatting in buildings is something that officers of the day should be catching as soon as it happens. As far as maintenance its a funding issue. Never enough money to pay for all the refurbishment bases need.

 

Is this something that gets contracted out or are the repairs handled by on base personnel?

 

Which barracks?

 

Pretty much gets contracted out. Not a lot of organic construction capabilities within the joint force anymore.

I have not touch commercial construction in about 15 years but understanding how the government goes about contracting out that service, I am sure we are paying a premium on construction since you are dealing with the federal government and it is so difficult to do when it comes to their contracting process. Not a lot of companies are willing to do it.

 

The towers. 8th & I. Before they built the new barracks and when SE wasn’t a place to be after dark. Elevator never worked. Bullet marks in the windows and all.

 

I remember a range shut down because of that.

 

Heard a lot of horror stories about 8th & I before that area got turned around. Took a couple EWS classes at the O Club at 8th & I. Very cool experience.

 

Thanks, that is what I was wondering when I was asking about the base commander. If it was internal, I would think the commander would make the decisions on what gets fixed and when. But contracted out somewhat takes it out of their hands. It's a shame, I'm sure the base commander wants to do what's best for the base and troops.

 

It was an interesting experience. Had a car stolen when I was there. When I had a reunion there years ago I was shocked at how much that area changed. Think there is a Michelin star restaurant on barracks row now.

 

Premium prices are paid for all the contracting on bases