Army pressed to fix dilapidated base housing by senators

Chief of Staff of the Army General James McConville, testifies before a Senate Armed Services committee hearing to examine the posture of the Department of the Army in review of the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2023 and the Future Years Defense Program, Thursday, May 5, 2022, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

U.S. senators are demanding that the Army put more money and effort into repairing poorly maintained and substandard base housing for military service members and their families.

The calls came Thursday amid persistent reports that mold and other issues threaten troops’ health. Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee pressed top Army leaders during a hearing to spend money on military housing in their states. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth repeatedly told senators that housing is a priority, but that it competes for funding in the Army and defense budgets with other key needs. She said that due to the Army’s vast size, it’s impossible to get to all the problems in one year.

The Army must put more money and effort into repairing poorly maintained and substandard base housing for military service members and their families, U.S. senators demanded Thursday, amid persistent reports that mold and other issues threaten troops’ health.