Military Barracks: Poor Living Conditions Undermine Quality of Life and Readiness
GAO-23-105797
Published: Sep 19, 2023. Publicly Released: Sep 19, 2023.
Fast Facts
Hundreds of thousands of service members live in military barracks. Concerns about poor living conditions and how DOD is managing the barracks go back decades.
We observed barracks in poor condition, including some with safety risks like sewage overflow and inoperable fire systems. And some barracks don't meet DOD requirements for privacy or amenities.
DOD doesn't have reliable information about barracks conditions, or how these conditions affect troop morale. And while DOD spends billions of dollars annually on its facilities, it's unable to identify how much funding goes toward barracks.
Our 31 recommendations address these issues.
Sewage overflow in a military training barracks restroom
Highlights
What GAO Found
Service members reported to GAO that the conditions of barracks affect their quality of life and readiness. However, GAO found weaknesses in the Department of Defense's (DOD) efforts to maintain and improve their conditions. For example,
- DOD does not reliably assess conditions, and some barracks are substandard. DOD assessments of conditions are unreliable. GAO observed barracks that pose potentially serious health and safety risks—such as broken windows and inoperable fire systems—and that do not meet minimum DOD standards for privacy and configuration. Thousands of service members live in barracks below standards, according to officials.
Examples of Poor Barracks Conditions at Military Installations GAO Visited
- DOD does not have complete funding information to make informed decisions. For example, DOD requested about $15 billion for overall facility sustainment for fiscal year 2024 but could not identify how much of this total would be spent toward barracks. In addition, DOD did not know how much it spent on housing allowances for service members who would normally be required to live in barracks, but did not because of insufficient space or poor living conditions. Complete funding information would help DOD target improvements and provide the department with more visibility into full costs.
- DOD conducts insufficient oversight. For example, DOD does not track information on the condition of barracks or facilitate collaboration on initiatives to improve barracks. Insufficient oversight hampers DOD's ability to identify and address long-standing challenges in barracks conditions across the department.
By developing or clarifying guidance related to these weaknesses, DOD could better prioritize investments in barracks to improve living conditions for service members and help ensure that barracks housing programs across military services are consistently implemented and support quality of life and readiness.
Why GAO Did This Study
DOD houses hundreds of thousands of service members in military barracks. Reports of poor conditions have raised questions about DOD's management of barracks.
The Joint Explanatory Statement and Senate Report 117-39, accompanying bills for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, included provisions for GAO to review DOD's efforts to maintain and improve military barracks. This report examines, among other things, the extent to which DOD has (1) reliably assessed barracks conditions, (2) made informed decisions on barracks funding, and (3) conducted oversight to improve barracks.
GAO analyzed DOD policies, budgets, and other documentation; interviewed DOD housing officials; toured barracks at a non-generalizable sample of 10 installations; and met with installation officials and barracks residents.
Recommendations
GAO is making 31 recommendations for DOD, including the military departments, to, among other things, provide guidance on barracks condition assessments, obtain complete funding information, and increase oversight of barracks programs. DOD concurred with 23 of the recommendations and partially concurred with 8, in some cases noting ongoing actions that would address them. GAO continues to believe DOD should fully implement all of these recommendations.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment examines how the services conduct condition assessments for barracks and, based on that review, provides guidance to the services on how they should conduct these assessments, including, as appropriate, revisiting requirements related to the frequency of assessments, the number of systems to be assessed, the necessary level of inspector expertise, and the model used to conduct assessments. (Recommendation 1) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation and stated that the department would examine how each military service conducted condition assessments of their barracks, and that based on that review, DOD would update guidance. In August 2024, DOD provided documentation that showed DOD has examined how the services conduct condition assessments for barracks, and based on that review, provided updated guidance to the services on how they should do so. Specifically, DOD's Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations and Environment issued a memorandum in July 2024, signed by the Chief Housing Officer, requiring the military departments to make improvements to condition assessments for military barracks. That DOD memorandum detailed that military departments are to perform a complete inspection of all permanent party barracks every two years and incorporate all 13 building systems in barracks assessments. Further, military departments are to use only qualified personnel, with training and expertise in relevant building systems to conduct those assessments, and they are to provide inspector training that covers topics such as policy and procedure, assessing a property, and discrepancy identification, among others. The memorandum also requires that inspectors open work orders immediately for any life, health or safety discrepancies identified during an inspection. These steps help ensure that OSD and the military services have guidance on how best to assess barracks conditions, including updated requirements on the frequency of assessments, number of systems assessed, inspector expertise, and the model used. Therefore, this recommendation has been addressed, and DOD will have more reliable condition information to appropriately determine which barracks should be prioritized for funding.
|
| Department of Defense |
Priority Rec.
The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment clarifies DOD guidance on minimum standards for assignment to barracks related to health and safety, such as identifying health and safety risks serious enough to prevent installations from assigning service members to live in a barracks facility or room. (Recommendation 2) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. An Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Housing (ODASD(H)) official reported as of May 2024 that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment (ASD(EI&E)) was holding biweekly meetings with the military departments. According to the official, these meetings ensured leadership engagement and defined a common purpose for the strategy to improve barracks conditions. DOD provided a corrective action plan in February 2025 that states that the Department has developed new guidance for health, safety, and livability standards. DOD officials expect this guidance to be issued by April 2025.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Army should update the Army's minimum standards for assignment to barracks to ensure they reflect DOD's guidance on health and safety standards for barracks once DOD's minimum standards have been clarified. (Recommendation 3) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. The Army plans to update its guidance to reflect updated DOD standards that are expected to be issued by April 2025. Specifically, DOD provided a corrective action plan in February 2025 that states that the Army plans to clarify standards for safety, security, and condition of Army barracks upon receipt of DOD's guidance and they expect to complete this by October 2025. Officials said that Army regulations will include requirements for operational fire detection and suppression systems and adequate egress, lockable exterior and interior doors, ability to secure belongings within the room, Facility Condition Index scores at or above 80, individual system condition scores for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) at or above 80, and functional utilities.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Navy should update the Navy's minimum standards for assignment to barracks to ensure they reflect DOD's guidance on health and safety standards for barracks once DOD's minimum standards have been clarified. (Recommendation 4) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. The Navy plans to update its guidance to reflect updated DOD standards that are expected to be issued by April 2025. Specifically, DOD provided a corrective action plan in February 2025 that states that the Navy plans to review DOD's updated standards for safety, security, and condition of barracks upon receipt and they expect to complete updates to Navy guidance by October 2025. Navy officials also said that, in the interim, the Navy has implemented an inspections program to identify any health and safety issues and ensure correction prior to barracks assignment.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Commandant of the Marine Corps, should update the Marine Corps' minimum standards for assignment to barracks to ensure they reflect DOD guidance on health and safety standards for barracks once DOD's minimum standards have been clarified. (Recommendation 5) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. The Marine Corps plans to update its guidance to reflect updated DOD standards that are expected to be issued by April 2025. Specifically, DOD provided a corrective action plan in February 2025 that states that the Marine Corps plans to review DOD's updated standards for safety, security, and condition of barracks upon receipt and they expect to complete updates to Marine Corps guidance by October 2025.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Air Force should update the Air Force's minimum standards for assignment to barracks to ensure they reflect DOD guidance on health and safety standards for barracks once DOD's minimum standards have been clarified. (Recommendation 6) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. The Air Force plans to update its guidance to reflect updated DOD standards that are expected to be issued by April 2025. Specifically, DOD provided a corrective action plan in February 2025 that states that the Air Force plans to review DOD's updated standards for safety, security, and condition of barracks and dormitories upon receipt and they expect to complete updates to Air Force guidance by October 2025.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Army should update the Army's minimum standards for assignment to barracks to ensure they meet DOD's privacy and configuration standards, as required under the DOD Housing Manual. (Recommendation 7) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. In February 2025, DOD provided a corrective action plan that states that the Army updated their published barracks privacy and configuration standards in November 2024. Officials stated that these updated standards were discussed with all Army Commands at the Barracks Improvement Group and that they will review DOD guidance on privacy and configuration standards once DOD issues such policy and issue revised Army guidance within 90 days of receipt. The newly revised Army standards call for a private sleeping room with a net area of at least 90 square feet per service member for E1-E4s, and at least 135 net square feet for E5-E6s; no more than two service members sharing a bathroom; a shared kitchenette with a cooktop or range, and microwave oven; easily accessible communal laundry; functional furnishings and appliances; and internet ready, and these standards exceed DOD's standards for privacy and configuration. However, documentation provided only applies to barracks being design and constructed and the documentation does not detail the Army's plan for addressing deficiencies in meeting privacy and configuration in existing barracks.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Navy should update the Navy's minimum standards for assignment to barracks to ensure they meet DOD's privacy and configuration standards, as required under the DOD Housing Manual. (Recommendation 8) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. Navy officials stated that they will review Navy barracks standards and update Navy guidance, as necessary, to ensure compliance with minimum DOD standards. In February 2025, DOD provided documentation that showed an update on the status of this recommendation had been requested of the Navy, but an update was not available at that time. We will continue to monitor the Navy's efforts in response to this recommendation.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Commandant of the Marine Corps, should update the Marine Corps' minimum standards for assignment to barracks to ensure they meet DOD's privacy and configuration standards, as required under the DOD Housing Manual. (Recommendation 9) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. Marine Corps officials stated they would update configuration standards to comply with the DOD standard. They also said that the Marine Corps is in the process of reviewing barracks facilities to identify current condition and configuration, and that this would allow the Marine Corps to better identify costs associated with achieving revised DOD minimum standards for privacy and configuration. In February 2025, DOD provided documentation that showed an update on the status of this recommendation had been requested of the Marine Corps, but an update was not available at that time. We will continue to monitor Marine Corps efforts in response to this recommendation.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Air Force should update the Air Force's minimum standards for assignment to barracks to ensure they meet DOD's privacy and configuration standards, as required under the DOD Housing Manual. (Recommendation 10) |
DOD partially concurred with this recommendation. Air Force officials stated that current Air Force standards focus on square footage, maximum number of service members per room, and maximum number of service members sharing bathrooms. They also said that construction standards for replacement or new construction of barracks provide for kitchenettes. However, officials stated that additional guidance from the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) is needed prior to updating Air Force guidance, particularly addressing cooking and eating options required in barracks. Therefore, officials stated that upon OSD publication of clarifying guidance, the Air Force will update its guidance, as needed, to ensure compliance with the minimum DOD standards. An additional update from the Air Force is expected as early as March 2025.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment sets requirements related to waivers, including requirements for tracking and documenting waivers and time limits for waivers. (Recommendation 11) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation and in August 2024, DOD provided documentation that showed it has taken steps to set requirements for waivers. Specifically, DOD's Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations and Environment issued a memorandum in July 2024, signed by the Chief Housing Officer, providing guidance to the military departments on issuing waivers for military barracks related to privacy and configuration standards. That DOD memorandum detailed that military departments are to establish procedures for installation commanders to request waivers to such standards, including mitigation actions taken to date as well as a corrective action plan to address remaining habitability concerns. In addition, the memorandum states that a military department secretary may approve a waiver only when mitigation actions have been carried out, to include modification of unit integrity goals and authorization of basic allowance for housing, among other actions. In addition, the memorandum requires that military departments terminate waivers after nine months without renewal. Lastly, military department secretaries are to provide the Chief Housing Officer an annual report on issued waivers, beginning no later than January 2025. These steps help ensure that OSD and the military services gain visibility into the extent to which service members are living in substandard barracks-information that will help DOD target resources for barracks where they are needed most. Therefore, this recommendation has been addressed, and DOD has taken steps to prevent the military services from establishing waivers in perpetuity.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment updates guidance to require the military services to survey service members living in barracks in a consistent and comparable way. (Recommendation 12) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. In February 2025, DOD provided documentation that showed DOD updated guidance to require the military services to survey service members living in barracks in a consistent and comparable way. Specifically, DOD issued a memorandum that requires the military departments to conduct an annual tenant satisfaction survey for all service members living in privatized and government-owned or controlled barracks. DOD and the military services revised DOD's Tenant Satisfaction Survey questions to be relevant and applicable to all types of DOD housing, to include barracks and dormitories. The Office of Management and Budget approved the revised survey in October 2024, and the Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense Energy, Installations and Environment and Chief Housing Officer signed the updated survey guidance in February 2025. The memo details the survey questions, communication of survey results, and requirements for correction action plans based on survey results. As such, this recommendation has been addressed, and DOD is better positioned to assess the effects of barracks conditions and potential improvements to the quality of life of barracks residents.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Office of People Analytics, in coordination with the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Housing, collects department-wide information, such as through the Status of Forces Survey, on service members' satisfaction with their housing, including barracks. (Recommendation 13) |
DOD concurred with our recommendation and stated that the department established a working group to update housing satisfaction survey questions and that implementation was anticipated in fiscal year 2025, depending on approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). In September 2024, DOD provided documentation that showed it has taken steps to collect this information. Specifically, DOD's Office of People Analytics, in coordination with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Housing, revised the Status of Forces Survey to include questions on 1) the type of housing in which service members live, including barracks, 2) service member's satisfaction with their housing, and 3) the effects of housing on service members' reenlistment decisions. DOD provided the survey link which included the revised questions. According to DOD officials, OMB approved the revised version of the Status of Forces Survey, and the Office of People Analytics is scheduled to open the Status of Forces Survey in December 2024. These steps help ensure that OSD will collect department-wide information on housing satisfaction, including for barracks residents. Therefore, this recommendation has been addressed and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness will be better positioned to monitor the health and welfare aspects of DOD housing, including the effects of barracks conditions on service members.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment updates guidance on surveys of service members living in barracks to require the military services to include questions on effects of barracks conditions on reenlistment decisions. (Recommendation 14) |
DOD partially concurred with our recommendation and stated that the department would work to determine the appropriate survey vehicle to ask service members about the effects of living conditions on reenlistment decisions and would determine if the Status of Forces Survey was the appropriate survey vehicle. In September 2024, DOD provided documentation that showed it has taken steps to survey service members on the effects of housing conditions, including for barracks, on reenlistment decisions. Specifically, DOD's Office of People Analytics, in coordination with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Housing, revised the Status of Forces Survey to include questions on the type of housing in which service members live, including barracks, and the effects of housing conditions on service members' reenlistment decisions. According to DOD officials, the Office of Management and Budget approved the revised version of the Status of Forces Survey, and the Office of People Analytics is scheduled to open the Status of Forces Survey in December 2024. DOD provided the link to the revised survey, which included these questions. These steps satisfy the intent of our recommendation by ensuring that OSD will obtain key information on the readiness effects associated with barracks living conditions across the department. Therefore, this recommendation has been addressed, and DOD will have more reliable data on any association between housing conditions and service member reenlistment.
|
| Department of Defense |
Priority Rec.
The Secretary of Defense should ensure that DOD develops a method to track and report complete Operation & Maintenance and Military Construction funding information in a combined manner for barracks housing programs, especially with respect to funding needed to improve barracks conditions, including both funding requirements and expenditures. In addition, the method should track and report complete Military Personnel funding with respect to funding needed to house service members typically required to live in barracks, such as service members living in private sector housing due to insufficient space in barracks, including both funding requirements and expenditures. (Recommendation 15) |
DOD partially concurred with this recommendation. DOD provided a correction action plan in February 2025 that states that DOD has started a phased approach to track barracks funding, starting first with specific Operation & Maintenance funding (Facilities Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization) and Military Construction funding identifiers for the Fiscal Year 2026 budget year. DOD stated that the department is currently unable differentiate other Operations and Maintenance funding to improve facilities and Military Personnel funding provided to service members who would normally reside in barracks. However, efforts are underway to develop a system or tracking method with this capability. Officials estimate completing these actions by June 30, 2027.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Army should develop and implement a method to ensure that the Army has visibility into all barracks Military Construction requirements identified at the installation level, regardless of whether they are submitted for funding. (Recommendation 16) |
DOD partially concurred with this recommendation. Army officials stated that Army's Facilities Investment Plan (FIP) partially satisfies this requirement, but that barracks requirements are not prioritized during that process. The Army stated it will develop and issue updated FIP guidance that includes identification of all unaccompanied housing military construction requirements across all components and levels by the end of February 2025. A corrective action plan provided by DOD in February 2025 stated that it had tasked the Army for an update and we will continue to monitor actions taken in response to this recommendation.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Navy should develop and implement a method to ensure that the Navy has visibility into all barracks Military Construction requirements identified at the installation level, regardless of whether they are submitted for funding. (Recommendation 17) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. Navy officials told us that the Navy conducts a review of requirements annually, and that MILCON project requirements are identified, documented as requirements, and tracked through the completion of a DD Form 1391. We were aware of the DD Form 1391 process at time of our review. However, as we previously reported, during site visits across military services, including at Navy installations, installation leadership identified barracks MILCON requirements not put forward for consideration through that process for a variety of reasons. In February 2025, DOD provided a corrective action plan that provides more detail on how DD Form 1391 forms can be queried, but additional information is required from the Navy to document how it ensures that it has visibility into all barracks Military Construction requirements. When we confirm what additional actions the department has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Commandant of the Marine Corps, should develop and implement a method to ensure that the Marine Corps has visibility into all barracks Military Construction requirements identified at the installation level, regardless of whether they are submitted for funding. (Recommendation 18) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. Marine Corps officials stated that the existing process to review Military Construction barracks requirements does not currently take into account barracks occupancy and overall utilization. Therefore, the Marine Corps is developing a process to validate MILCON and Restoration and Modernization project approvals from a perspective of occupancy and overall utilization, according to officials. In February 2025, DOD provided a corrective action plan that provides more detail on how DD Form 1391 forms can be queried by the Department of the Navy to include Marine Corps requirements, but additional information is required from the Navy and Marine Corps to document how it ensures that there is visibility into all Military Construction barracks requirements. When we confirm what additional actions the department has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Air Force should develop and implement a method to ensure that the Air Force has visibility into all barracks Military Construction requirements identified at the installation level, regardless of whether they are submitted for funding. (Recommendation 19) |
DOD partially concurred with this recommendation. Air Force officials stated that the Department of the Air Force will assess current policy and governance to ensure the most senior leaders have visibility into dormitory, or barracks, requirements compared to those projects identified through the Air Force Dormitory Master Plan. Specifically, DOD provided a correction action plan in February 2025 that states that the Air Force plans to update Air Force Instruction 32-6000, Housing Management, to include an annual reporting requirement to Air Force senior leaders on Military Construction requirements identified from Dormitory Master Plans at the installation level by July 2026. Further, officials said the Housing Council will review the status of barracks Military Construction requirements and provide the required annual reports to Air Force senior leaders.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment examines how the services develop and use mission scores for barracks and, based on that review, provides guidance to the services on how they should develop and use these mission scores for purposes of barracks improvement prioritization, including, as appropriate, increasing consistency to the maximum extent practicable. (Recommendation 20) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. In February 2025, DOD provided a corrective action plan that states that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment required that the military departments examine how the services develop and use mission scores for barracks, and that these responses were received in December 2024. DOD is reviewing the information provided and based on that review, will develop guidance to provide consistency and, at a minimum, identify how the military services should develop and use mission scores for purposes of barracks improvement prioritization. DOD expects to issue this guidance by September 30, 2025.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Army should conduct a systematic, objective analysis, that includes input from unit leaders, on the lowest reasonable rank threshold for Army unaccompanied service members required to live in military barracks, and adjust policies in accordance with that analysis. (Recommendation 21) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. In documentation provided by DOD in February 2025, Army officials stated that the Army plans to review its barracks assignment policy, and update Army guidance, as necessary. Officials said any changes could reduce barracks housing requirements and improve recruitment and retention. The Army expects to complete its analysis on the lowest reasonable rank threshold for unaccompanied service members to live in unaccompanied housing by May 2025. The Army expects to adjust the unaccompanied housing assignments policy to meet the results of the analysis by July 2025.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Navy should conduct a systematic, objective analysis, that includes input from unit leaders, on the lowest reasonable rank threshold for Navy unaccompanied service members required to live in military barracks, and adjust policies in accordance with that analysis. (Recommendation 22) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. In documentation provided by DOD in February 2025, Navy officials stated that the Navy will complete an analysis of its barracks assignment policies by March 2025. Navy officials stated the Navy will adjust policies as necessary in accordance with the outcome of that review by July 2025. Specifically, officials said the Navy is utilizing data and analytics to determine the optimized personnel requirements to reside in barracks, using key data elements from multiple sources to determine the optimal balance of quality of life and total ownership cost.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Commandant of the Marine Corps, should conduct a systematic, objective analysis, that includes input from unit leaders, on the lowest reasonable rank threshold for Marine Corps unaccompanied service members required to live in military barracks, and adjust policies in accordance with that analysis. (Recommendation 23) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. In documentation provided by DOD in February 2025, the Marine Corps stated that it plans to conduct analysis on the lowest reasonable rank threshold for Marines required to live in barracks to determine the right percentage of E5 and E4 service members to live off base, to be completed by September 2025. The policy changes resulting from this analysis will be implemented by November 2025. Officials also said that the primary constraint to offering Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) to unaccompanied E-4s and E5s is limited Military Personnel funding. However, the Marine Corps has taken steps to reward high-performing E5 personnel by allowing Region Commanding Generals to grant BAH to 600 E5s in order to enhance the quality of service for unaccompanied service members and thereby increase recruitment and retention., according to officials.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Air Force should conduct a systematic, objective analysis, that includes input from unit leaders, on the lowest reasonable rank threshold for Air Force unaccompanied service members required to live in military barracks, and adjust policies in accordance with that analysis. (Recommendation 24) |
DOD partially concurred with this recommendation. DOD provided documentation in February 2025 that states that the Air Force has conducted a systematic, objective analysis, with input from unit leaders, regarding the lowest reasonable rank threshold for unaccompanied service members required to live in barracks. Air Force officials stated that the unaccompanied housing assignments will be adjusted to reflect the results of this analysis, if needed, by April 2025.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment adjusts guidance to clearly identify appropriate reasons for providing BAH to service members who would otherwise be required to live in barracks, including identifying factors installation commanders should consider when authorizing BAH. (Recommendation 25) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment, in coordination with the military departments, issued departmentwide guidance in January 2025 to clarify the appropriate reasons for which Certificates of Non-Availability (CNA) may be issued, thereby initiating the payment of basic housing allowances (BAH) to service members who would otherwise be required to live in barracks. The guidance requires that factors such as utilization, habitability, and privacy and configuration standards be considered when housing assignments are determined, and it defines the appropriate reasons installation commanders should consider when authorizing BAH; to include professional hardships and personal hardships such as preexisting ownership of off-installation housing; family circumstances including changes in marital status, child custody, or the need to care for sick family members; or experiences of assault or harassment barracks. Inconsistencies in exemptions from barracks residency requirements were identified as negatively effecting morale during the course of our review, this guidance will result in more consistency across services and installations regarding these decisions. As such, we consider this recommendation to be addressed.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Army should reevaluate existing Army policies regarding barracks manager positions for permanent party and training barracks, including whether barracks managers should be part time or full time and civilian or military and the level of training required, to ensure that the personnel structure is established at the levels necessary to accomplish mission and performance objectives. (Recommendation 26) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. Army officials stated that a lack of trained, full time barracks' managers is likely one of the reasons Army barracks conditions are not maintained to current adequacy standards. They also said that the absence of consistent oversight of barracks conditions will result in barracks that are ill-maintained and deteriorate at an accelerated rate. DOD provided documentation in February 2025 that stated that the Army will evaluate existing policies regarding manager positions for all unaccompanied housing by June 2025 and will ensure that the personnel structure is established at the levels necessary to accomplish mission and performance objectives.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Navy should reevaluate existing Navy policies regarding barracks manager positions for permanent party and training barracks, including whether barracks managers should be part time or full time and civilian or military and the level of training required, to ensure that the personnel structure is established at the levels necessary to accomplish mission and performance objectives. (Recommendation 27) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. DOD provided documentation in February 2025 that states that the Navy reviewed barracks management staffing and confirmed that it staffs barracks at each Navy installation with civilians, with the exception of a few remote locations where military personnel are dedicated to barracks management full-time. Where necessary, the Navy reports replacing military billets with civilian personnel, which will increase the cost of labor, but it stated that the civilian manpower will be offset by the realignment of military personnel to core duties. Additionally, the Navy established a training curriculum for barracks management and staff with courses offered, in person or virtual, by the Navy Housing Learning Center in Jacksonville, FL. The Navy completed these actions by December 2024, but officials stated that the Navy is continuously reviewing the training curriculum to improve performance. The Navy utilizes the Certified Defense Unaccompanied Housing Manager Courses provided via a contract with the Military Housing and Lodging Institute as part of its training curriculum. During our review we found that part-time barracks managers reported difficulties meeting performance objectives and that additional training could be provided. As the Navy has reevaluated its policies regarding barracks manager positions as generally full-time civilians and provided training to barracks managers, these actions will help the Navy to ensure barracks managers are better positioned and trained to accomplish mission and performance objectives. As such, we consider this recommendation addressed.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with the Commandant of the Marine Corps, should reevaluate existing Marine Corps policies regarding barracks manager positions for permanent party and training barracks, including whether barracks managers should be part time or full time and civilian or military and the level of training required, to ensure that the personnel structure is established at the levels necessary to accomplish mission and performance objectives. (Recommendation 28) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. According to officials, the Marine Corps developed an initiative that will institute civilian management of the barracks with 347 full time employees as well as implementing a Resident Advisor (RA) program utilizing Staff Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs), with implementation in fiscal year 2025. In a corrective action plan provided by DOD in February 2025, the Marine Corps stated they will reevaluate existing USMC regarding manager positions for all unaccompanied housing, ensuring that the personnel structure is adequate for mission accomplishment and adjust as necessary, with additional updates expected in March 2025.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of the Air Force should reevaluate existing Air Force policies regarding barracks manager positions for permanent party and training barracks, including whether barracks managers should be part-time or full-time and civilian or military and the level of training required, to ensure that the personnel structure is established at the levels necessary to accomplish mission and performance objectives. (Recommendation 29) |
DOD partially concurred with this recommendation. In a corrective action plan provided by DOD in February 2025, the Air Force stated it will review and update its housing management instruction, as required regarding dormitory, or barracks, management manpower and mandatory training requirements by July 2025. The Air Force also plans to review requirements associated with management of technical training dormitories by November 2025. The Air Force will complete the Air Force Manpower Determinant for Housing to establish manpower requirements associated with dormitory management by November 2025. The Air Force stated it will complete reevaluation of existing policies regarding barracks manager positions for permanent party and training barracks, including whether barracks managers should be part-time or full time, civilian or military, and the level of training required by January 2026.
|
| Department of Defense |
Priority Rec.
The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment establishes an oversight structure, such as quarterly programmatic reviews, to increase oversight of military service barracks housing programs, including roles and responsibilities for relevant OSD offices. (Recommendation 30) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. DOD provided a corrective action plan in February 2025 that states that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment as made considerable progress towards issuing policies establishing quarterly programmatic reviews that will allow the department to establish metrics and reporting requirements for barracks. DOD expects the issuance of these policies by May 30, 2025.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment collaborate with the military services to define a common purpose and establish a joint strategy for improving barracks conditions. (Recommendation 31) |
DOD concurred with this recommendation. In February 2024, the then Deputy Secretary of Defense signed the Resilient and Healthy Defense Communities strategy that became the department's guide for actions to achieve healthy, safe, functional, and resilient spaces on defense installations that enhance quality of life and readiness of its total force. In October 2024, after collaboration by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment with the military departments, an implementation plan for the strategy was finalized. Both the strategy and implementation plan identified specific actions required by various entities in the department to improve barracks conditions. Also, in September 2024, the then Secretary of Defense signed the "Our Enduring Duty to America's Service Members and their Families", directing "Military Departments to fully fund barracks maintenance accounts in future budgets." In February 2025, DOD provided documentation that detailed these actions and officials stated that the combination of these actions shows the department's commitment to a common purpose and a joint strategy for improving barracks conditions. As documentation was provided that showed coordination with all military services and relevant offices and organizations within the Office of the Secretary of Defense on these joint strategies and plans, DOD has demonstrated a departmentwide commitment to making improvements to barracks living conditions. As such, we consider this recommendation to be addressed as of February 2025.
|
Full Report
GAO Contacts
Public Inquiries
Topics
Air conditioningConstructionDefense budgetsFacility maintenanceHealth and safetyHousingHousing programsMilitary constructionMilitary forcesMilitary housingMilitary personnelMilitary readinessPrivacyPrivate sectorPrivatizationQuality of lifeSurveysWater quality standards