(TheRedAlertNews.com) – In what can only be described as a disgrace for the nation, an all-out inspection of US Marine Corps barracks worldwide has found that American Marines are forced to live in “uninhabitable,” filthy conditions with broken household appliances and little privacy.
The Marine Corps concluded a service-wide evaluation on March 15 that revealed a troubling scenario: numerous Marines reside in conditions deemed “uninhabitable.”
However, addressing this longstanding issue will be fraught with challenges, The Daily Caller reports citing Marines.
In February, Gen. Christopher Mahoney, the acting Commandant of the Marine Corps, mandated installation commanders to carry out comprehensive inspections of all single Marine housing facilities by March 15.
Although a conclusive report is pending, preliminary findings from this extensive review, which encompassed 60,000 rooms across 25 global installations, disclosed that many Marines are living in unsanitary and overcrowded spaces, with malfunctioning appliances and insufficient privacy.
This situation aligns with the observations of a watchdog report from September, the service confirmed to The Caller.
“The inspections also took a holistic approach to inventory all barracks-related issues,” said Maj. John Parry, a spokesperson for Marine Corps Installations Command.
“The inspection was most importantly meant to ensure Marines live in facilities that meet required health and safety policy. Immediate concerns for health and safety were addressed as part of the inspection,” he added.
Barracks managers utilized a detailed checklist to evaluate the habitability, safety, and cleanliness of barracks. The checklist also facilitated commentary and suggestions for subsequent actions, catering to specific aspects of each dorm, such as kitchen facilities, bathrooms, living areas, bedrooms, and appliances.
Commanders had the discretion to relocate Marines if inspections uncovered severe mold, water, or general safety issues, based on a memorandum provided by Parry.
While Parry refrained from delving into specifics, he mentioned that the findings were in line with a previous Government Accountability Office report from September 2023.
The examination of barracks at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego, California, identified dormitories in need of repair, yet the facility lacked the maintenance capabilities to undertake comprehensive refurbishments, Col. Thomas Bedell, the commander of the installation, told U.S. Naval Institute News.
A Marine stationed at the barracks in Washington, D.C., commented that the poor conditions should not come as a surprise, describing it as a longstanding issue.
Maj. Gen. Maxwell, commander of Marine Corps Installations Command, noted in a February 2024 article that approximately 88,000 Marines currently reside in dormitories.
The GAO limited its review to housing for junior enlisted personnel at three specific locations and found that even facilities with high condition ratings from the Department of Defense required “significant improvement.”
Some installation officials described high-scoring barracks as “uninhabitable.”
Former residents recounted enduring periods without hot water, malfunctioning air conditioning units, clogged plumbing, and broken locks and elevators.
Navy and Marine Corps surveys conducted in 2022 revealed similar health and safety concerns among service members living in barracks, such as issues with lighting, mold, and water quality.
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