Gun Grape

I'm sure that most have read the article or seen the YouTube video.
Disgusting
Army widens probe after finding bad conditions at Fort Bragg - Yahoo! News

YouTube - Barracks for Charlie CO 2/508 82n Airborne

And at first, I accepted the Armys reason. Unexpected redeployment home. Were not expected to rotate fro a few more months. Instead, the 82nd Abn only had 72 hours notice to find a place. The deficiencies were a bit extreme but OK. I've worked in a S-4 and know how work orders, even priority ones are handled since we got rid of Civil Service Facilities maintenance and went to civilian contractors.

but then I got to this little gem from a Ft Bragg Spokeman

So let me jump to conclusions, Go off on little things, overreact ect

Hey sweetpea, This isn't about cosmetics and making it pretty because the troops cannot hack old style barracks.

This is about having to brush your teeth while standing in 6in of crap filled water. Having to stuff paper towels and rags in broken vent pipes to keep
the sewer gases from overpowering you. Its about pealing lead paint and mold on the walls of living spaces.

You know Its about the basic responsibility that we , as leaders, are charged with. Taking care of the troops.. When I was stationed with soldiers back in the 90s the Army watchword was "Mission First, People Always"
Why did you and the unit/person responsible for Fac maint on that building drop the ball. WTF happened?


Ok I'm done venting

toemag

I will probably get burned at the stake for this, but it is my honest opinion, no disrespect is intended.

I have seen and been in some sub standard accommodation in the 80's, but things were improved fast, by us, under the supervision of our NCO's . the toilet seat thing, the guy only needs to go down the hardware store, and buy his own, if he can't beg steal or borrow one through the system.

There is a lot that can be done by the guys themselves to improve their situation, get the public services in to do the plumbing etc etc, **** I'd call the plumber myself if I had to live there, and get the guys to pass the hat to pay for it.

Just my 0.02cts worth.

It does strike me as though the Army doesn't want the Soldiers getting to settled in though, up's next operational tour coming right up.

Tony

__________________
Yet another ex-tankie of 1 RTR origin.

dave lukins

Onto the fire with you Tony


"Where extensive repairs are necessary"!!! I would have thought all extensive repairs are necessary. The Gen. was at a loss to explain. OK Gen. have the CO of Fort Bragg marched into your nice clean office to explain.

So, the Soldiers have done their Duty in Afghanistan, living in the den of iniquity, to come "home" to squaller, but that's fine as "Soldiers have been complaining about the accommodation for decades" so it make it all OK.

Southie

Not being able to view the Youtube here at work I can only speak from experience of living in dorms while in the AF.

While stationed in Korea, I lived in three different dorms. The first was temporary until they assigned me to my dorm, when I first arrived. It was in excellent condition. Then I was moved to my second dorm for about a month until we (my unit) moved to the SPS dorm. Again, I considered them to be in excellent condition. The only problem I encountered was my AC vent leaking. My remedy...I put a flat plastic container on the floor, filled it with sand and fake palm trees and had my own little beach! The leak was fixed within 3 days. I made the best of a MINOR situation. Luckily I never had to deal with situations like the troops at Ft Bragg!

I can't understand how a base commander would let his troops live in conditions like this! Especially if they have been deployed...alot...! I wonder if some of them thought their living conditions in Afghanistan were better!

__________________
“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” - Jimi Hendrix
Don't Worry, Be Happy - Bobby McFerrin

gunnut

Maybe that's how they entice the troops to go back to A-stan for another year.

__________________
"Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

Southie

I just watched the Youtube video! That's crap that these guys have to put of with this sh*t! The dorms in S. Korea were a palace compared to what they have to live in!

dark-alias

Listen if soldiers stop complaining then something is wrong. Barracks situations are at the forefront of every 1sg through commanders mind. No one wants their soldiers to live in sub-standard quarters, but it happens and sometimes nothing can be done in the time that people want it to happen, thats the reality. There are many, many, many barracks slated for demo. so new ones can be built in there place to meet the "new needs of todays soldier". Gone soft have we? The Secretary of the Army was at my post just yesterday going through my barracks room to get a look for himself, seeing how my building is the number one building on my post slated for demo. IMO when i recieved my quarters there were horrible yes, but its up to the individual to do something about it. they need to get in touch with their R and O guy, get the work orders in to fix it. Trust me every post has contracted out the service so USE IT! It is everyones responsibility to make this aware and make a difference but it starts with the SM who it affects, so all they have to do is simply get active in their chain.

dave lukins

No NO NO ..DA I disagree.. Why should you take over substandard Accommodation ?? Why should you pay to have it "repaired" to your standard and expectation. The R and O Guy should make sure its in good order BEFORE you get anywhere near it . There is a perceived thought of huge incompetence here.

Gun Grape

B.S. You don't put people in barracks that are a hazard to their health. Be they just returned combat vets or trainees at receiving.

A/C don't work, a few broken windows. Fine, but sewer backing up in the heads, uncapped sewer vent stacks, mold on the walls. NO.

Whomever was in charge of this clusterf*ck, on seeing the condition of the barracks should have had someone, with at least Chickens on the collar(or a good Gunny ) called the G-4/Public Works/Base Maint. dept. Get a rep over to the bldg and stand there while they call whichever civilian plumbing contractor is on the list that can come that day. There is a lot of construction work NOT going on in Fayettenam. They could have gotten someone there the day the problem was noticed or early the next day. I'm not a plumbing contractor but Roto-ruter to snake/blow out the floor drains, a few dresser couplings, caps and some PVC pipe would have made the plumbing livable for those soldiers. Working party of soldiers to bleach the bulkheads, and general maint. Wrap the falling insulation on the overhead pipes, scrap the falling paint and replace the broken toilet seats.


Were you having to stand in raw sewage to brush your teeth or make a head call? You are talking apples and oranges. And starting to sound like that As*hole in the article.

Gun Grape

Dead on Mr Lukins

dark-alias

Like I said no one wants to have to do that but the system isnt perfect and we dont have the funds to just make everything perfect for everyone right away. The goal is to get to that point as soon as we can. Funding that would normaly go to this is being used to fund our oversea conflicts right now and that is where that money should be going. I am happy to live in a sub-standard environment so that my brothers and sisters can have what they need to accomplish their mission. But i am saying that once you take responsibility for that room it is your job to maintain it to the standard set by your unit command. there was a test done, and it went something likke this....if you were put into a substandard environment then you were given partial BAH if single, and if married then you would get to keep a portion of it depending on the disparity of the situation. Then with those funds you could bring your quarters to the level of comfort you feel you deserve. Listen when is this going to stop...when we get to the point that soldiers have to have a hot-tub in their room, flat screens, a personal gym, a soldiers life is not the pampered life..i know this from firsthand and anyone who served before me can only tell you that it was worse.

dark-alias

I agree with that totally, but that was an isolated event.

No I wasnt.

dave lukins

DA I know where you are coming from..been there ..done that ..blah blah blah. I'm not talking about flat screens.. Picasso paintings..or Dresden Toilets..YOU AS A SOLDIER require(should demand) decent living quarters from day one.. not when the roof is falling down or the paint coming of the walls...NOW. This is not a lot to ask for from a Nation DRIPPING in National Pride. By Christ!! if I was there I would Kick some Asses

dark-alias

DL,
Sir and we do that is how we got the Secretary of the Army to come out here and see, I was my post's AFAP (Army Family Action Program) representitive for its annual conference and it was my role to gather the concerns of single soldiers and present them to the brass and make things better. That is whats happening, I dont lay down and take something if i feel its right.

dave lukins

Sir, I salute anyone who spends anytime looking after Servicemen full stop. There are lots people behind the scenes, doing a staunch job without any reward. Servicemen and Women deserve the best, I am sure you will try your best to give them just that.