Could privatizing barracks help fix the lousy conditions?
By Karen Jowers
Oct 3, 06:07 PM
GAO auditors visited two installations with privatized barracks. Shown here are photos from privatized barracks at San Diego and Fort Meade, Maryland, but auditors declined to specify which photos are tied to which installation. (GAO)
Privatizing military barracks should not be seen as a silver bullet to slay all the problems that plague unaccompanied housing, but it could be the answer for some barracks at some installations, according to testimony at a recent congressional hearing.
Government Accountability Office auditors said the chronic neglect and underfunding of these living quarters — which has led to mold, overflowing sewage, doors that don’t lock, lack of heating and air conditioning, and other problems — could take years to fix.
That gloomy assessment for the House Armed Services quality of life panel left some lawmakers questioning whether the privatization of barracks could be an answer. But it’s not the first time they have asked.
At the direction of Congress in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, service and defense officials have been preparing a report on the feasibility of privatizing barracks. It was due to Congress in July.
https://www.militarytimes.com/pay-benefits/2023/10/03/could-privatizing-barracks-help-fix-the-lousy-conditions/
