Group: N.C. Army Barracks "Not Suitable"

Housing Conditions at Ft. Bragg a Longstanding Gripe for Many; Maintenance Funding Inconsistent

(AP)  A North Carolina group studying soldier housing at Fort Bragg says a program to maintain barracks is undermined by inconsistencies and a lack of resources.

The Fayetteville Observer reported Thursday that the group, part of the 2009 Fort Bragg Army Family Action Plan, said the barracks for the 17,000 single soldiers on post are "not a suitable" home. The group says the housing doesn't meet the Army's standards for quality of life.

The program to fix and maintain barracks was started at Fort Bragg last year after the father of a paratrooper put a video showing poor barracks conditions on the Internet. The video showed peeling paint and mold, a torn toilet seat and a soldier trying to unplug a floor drain that appeared to be clogged with sewage.

Col. Stephen J. Sicinski, the garrison commander, defended living conditions, telling the paper that barracks in the Army "are better than they have ever been in the history of our armed forces."

Fort Bragg has a dozen Korean War-era barracks. Eight have been reconditioned, but need constant upkeep, Sicinski said.

He said the First Sergeants Barracks Initiative, created to address these problems, is new and doesn't have all of its resources.

"We will probably have to double the size of the team, if not triple it, to make it run effectively," Sicinski said. "Once that happens, I foresee less and less problems and soldier complaints like we heard some of today."

[toxicmoldtruth]

Until these living quarters can be renovated or demolished, these soldiers may want to check out the remarkable research on toxic mold removal done by environmental expert Dr. Ed Close. Diffusing a therapeutic-grade essential oil regularly in these barracks will likely result in an environment very hostile to mold.
http://www.secretofthieves.com/mold.cfm/79544

[jsd330]

I don't understand the mold and peeling paint. When I was in the Army (Viet Nam era)we cleaned and painted our own barracks. We cleaned our squad bays and latrines daily and we never had any problems with mold or peeling paint. We maintained our living quarters ourselves. If it was a major problem our 1sg would contact post maintainance, and he would follow up to make sure the problem was taken care of immediately Every barracks I lived in during my four years in the Army were world war II, and they were spotless. Maybe the maintainance and cleaning is contracted out to Haliburton now.

[dblbar1]

"Col. Stephen J. Sicinski, the garrison commander, defended living conditions, telling the paper that barracks in the Army "are better than they have ever been in the history of our armed forces."

then the good Colonel needs to go live in them himself.......

[idependantfreedom]

wow. i must say that i am not impressed at all, in fact this is quite offending, as other people stated before me this is not exceptable, it is sad that the berracks over here are in worse condition than the stations over in iraq, my family is mainly millitary and according to them the best services for housing are as follows, rank 1st place Navy bases, 2nd place airforce,3rd place Coast guard,and 4th place army. It is very sad that severice men and women have to deal with this on top of all there other duties.

[Lawyers-Guns-n-Money-01]

Have I got a story for you! In 1990, I was stationed in FL and we had a minimum security federal prison on base. One of the plans to house these prisoners was to move them into a semi-isolated, empty barracks. Someone complained that the barracks were 'not fit for human habitation' and some beaurcrat somewhere agreed. They ended up getting a brand spanking new facility. Meanwhile, guess who got to live in these so-called sub-standard barracks.

[billatmsn]

I am so sick and tired of photos and news like this. All Military service men and women deserve better thsn this. Did you see the twenty plus male USMC members with breast cancer? Have you read about the service members who have been electrocuted ? In one of the basic training camps 200 members caught an STD's from toliet seats. Come on America, lets get the Republicans off their butt, and fix, any problems.

[endurorob_5]

Not sure why you feel it is the fault of republicans and not all politicians. By the way you cannot get STDs from a toilet seet.

[cidaia]

Umm the Democrats hold the majority of the power, so I'm curious what you expect the Republicans to do...is there some reason the Democrats can't or won't take care of our nations soldiers?

[wyodutch]

You made them strong...
.
We'll make them Army strong