DAILY STAR
The US‘ military barracks are overflowing with leaking sewage and have pests running rampant, an investigation has revealed.
Troops are also forced to put up with black mold, squatters and gas leaks, and some report the squalid conditions are causing them to develop physical and mental health problems. The horror discoveries were made by the independent organisation Government Accountability Office (GAO) and detailed in a report titled Poor Living Conditions Undermine Quality of Life and Readiness.
“Concerns about poor living conditions and how DoD (Department of Defence) is managing the barracks go back decades,” the GAO said on its website. “We observed barracks in poor condition, including some with safety risks like sewage overflow and inoperable fire systems.”
The report looked into 10 barracks in California, Colorado, Texas, and DC, and saw investigators speak to 12 discussion groups. All 12 raised concerns over black mold in their living quarters, while three said the poor conditions had contributed towards substance abuse issues.
At one installation investigators reported a “bad odour throughout the barracks”, which officials later said had been caused by a methane gas leak “out of aging plumbing with sewage pipes that routinely crack and require replacement.” The report added: “These officials acknowledged that exposure to methane gas is a health risk.”
During a visit to one of the barracks the GAO found troops had even been asked to clean up a room after one serviceman died by suicide. “Officials at one installation told us service members are responsible for cleaning biological waste that may remain in a barracks room after a suicide,” the report said.
