Dad's video of run-down barracks sparks military response

CNN ^ | April 28, 2008

[BulletBobCo]

(CNN) -- The U.S. military is promising action to address conditions in a barracks at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, after a soldier's father posted images on YouTube showing a building that he said "should be condemned."

"This is embarrassing. It's disgusting. It makes me mad as hell," Ed Frawley said of the building where his son, Sgt. Jeff Frawley, had to live upon his return this month from a 15-month deployment to Afghanistan.

Frawley said Monday that Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Dick Cody called him to say he shares Frawley's anger and that "there's no excuse." Cody said he would not want his own sons or any troops to return to such conditions, Frawley said.

Frawley's 10-minute video shows still photos from throughout the building, which appears to be falling apart and filled with mold and rust.

Paint, which Frawley said is lead-based, is chipping. Ceiling tiles are missing. A broken drain pipe allows sewer gas into the building, while another one has tissues stuffed into it in an apparent effort to stop the gas from coming in.

Photos from the communal bathroom show some of the most disgusting images. In one, a soldier stands in a sink to avoid what Frawley describes as 3 inches of sewage water that filled the floor when toilets overflowed.

At times, "sewage water backs up into the sinks in the lower floors of these barracks," Frawley said in his narration. "The soldiers have to tell one another who's taking a shower when they turn the sinks on, or the person taking the shower gets scalded with hot water."

"The conditions depicted in Mr. Frawley's video are appalling and unacceptable, and we are addressing the concerns he expressed," said Maj. Tom Earnhardt, spokesman for the 82nd Airborne, in a written statement.

[ASOC]

THese facilites were Identifed (and in the news) years ago because this is where National Guard troops were dumped pending disposition of medical issues.

Money has beentight for years due to CONGRESS not funding Operations - so the money is stolen fromother accounts - like facility maintenance.

Money quote “Robbing Peter to pay Paul’ JUst this Fiscal year they were talking of laying off Army civilian workers because of the stunts pulled by Nancy’e Army in Congress....tho her husband got his contracts funded - eh?

[alarm rider]

Having been in the AF, and having been stationed (TDY) at both Army and Navy bases, I can honestly say that they were both sub-standard as compared with the AF.

Most enlisted above the rank of E-5 found off-base quarters, and I sort of think that was expected.

That said, something needs to be done for these men and women.

Base/Post Commanders should be held responsible, and a good commander would kick some a$$ to get it done. That is the first responsibility of a commander. Take care of your troops, no matter where they are.

AR

[alarm rider]

They still are.

WWII reenactors use them every year for an event, and leave them a damn sight better than they found them.

[Leisler]

I don't know what kind of Sergeant waits around for Congress to supply him with a toilet seat. Buy one, trade one or steal one.

[ASOC]

I have stayed in Army facilites (I’m retired USAF) and almost always seeping in my com van was the better choice - in nice weather, we slept on the roof.

I ‘suspect’ they gave us the less-than-swell digs on account of us being zoomies and all...

[Dick Vomer]

That is the first responsibility of a commander. Take care of your troops, no matter where they are.

FINALLY!

I've lived in crappy housing, but never, ever "substandard" housing.

First of all the commander at this base needs to explain if these are abandoned or shuttered barracks. If they actually had men living in them, then the company commander and senior NCO's should be sh#t-canned for letting the men live in a hole like that.

You buy paint,(or steal it), you fix up the place and you sure as heck never let your men have a sewer gas up your men.

Real leaders understand this most of all. You eat after your men, you make sure that they're housed and secure. Then you take care of yourself.

Will someone that's been around please tell me this is just a hit piece and that men weren't allowed by the Army to live in a dump. If they did live in a dump, why would they allow themselves to be put there, without policing up the area?

I've seen senior NCO's try to slide around padding their retirement funds but whenever anybody found out, it was Leavenworth or a good a##-whipping for stealing from supply or payroll.

[Hot Tabasco]

Back in '69 while doing AIT at Ft. Gordon, GA, I pulled detail one day and was tasked with replacing cracked or broken windows in several barracks.

Typical of Army, the supply office was over a mile away and I had no F'n idea how to replace broken windows. I had to make two trips that day by foot to pick up the materials I "guess" I needed because I was unsupervised and there was no vehicle available.

Knowing now what I didn't know then, I suspect those windows I replaced were blown out by the first heavy wind that came along after I was gone.......LOL!

[zip]

ping

[Griddlee]

Send in the Navy to chip and paint and swab the decks.

[NoLibZone]

The top four guys in charge at Fort Bragg should be fired, stripped of pensions and incarcerated in a Chinese prisons.

What happened to our military after WW2?

[NoLibZone]

"But there’s plenty of money for anchor babies, welfare moms, food stamps, bridges to nowhere and other assorted loser causes."

And high five digit pensions for Military leaders that have not won a war in over 60 years.

[Grizzled Bear]

...Air Force a hard time about being cream puffs, and always having the nicest barracks, and housing. They just say, well the Air force decided to spend money on their airmen instead of other things.

One thing you need to understand. The Air Force does a lot of "Self-Help" projects. This means you spend weekends and holidays making a dorm or office building a better place. I've seen gazebos built and drop ceilings installed in self help projects.

You can whine about the facilities or you can pick up your tools and do something about it.

Another part of this is that the Air Force won't tolerate morons who tear up the facilities. I've been on Army bases and I've seen the damage that a few out of control morons (from both services) can do.

[NoLibZone]

Even their website does not work!!!!

LMAO as are the Russians and Chicoms!

What a national and international embarrassment!

Try to get to Public affairs at Fort Bragg.

http://www.bragg.army.mil/pao/default.htm

[NoLibZone]

"First of all the commander at this base needs to explain if these are abandoned or shuttered barracks. If they actually had men living in them, then the company commander and senior NCO's should be sh#t-canned for letting the men live in a hole like that."

These are the boys responsible four our men having to live like Russian conscripts:

LIEUTENANT GENERAL LLOYD J. AUSTIN III , Commanding General

BRIGADIER GENERAL ARTHUR M. BARTELL, Deputy Commanding General

BRIGADIER GENERAL DANIEL B. ALLYN, Chief of Staff

COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR JOSEPH R. ALLEN, Command Sergeant Major

[NoLibZone]

Sent:

Please note that our service men are forced to live like Russian conscripts at Fort Bragg. Convicted murderers in Fed prisons live in better conditions.

These men gave their all so we can enjoy our freedoms. Convicts would sue for better conditions and win!

These four men cannot handle the rigors of their duty and must be removed from positions of authority:

LIEUTENANT GENERAL LLOYD J. AUSTIN III , Commanding General

BRIGADIER GENERAL ARTHUR M. BARTELL, Deputy Commanding General

BRIGADIER GENERAL DANIEL B. ALLYN, Chief of Staff

COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR JOSEPH R. ALLEN, Command Sergeant Major

This is also a huge international disgrace. Thanks for your concern,

http://armed-services.senate.gov/members.htm

Americans (REPUBLICANS)

http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

http://inhofe.senate.gov/public/

http://warner.senate.gov/public/

http://sessions.senate.gov/public/

http://collins.senate.gov/public/

http://chambliss.senate.gov/public/

http://lgraham.senate.gov/public/

http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/

http://thune.senate.gov/public/

http://martinez.senate.gov/public/

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/senators/one_item_and_teasers/wicker.htm

Enemy Combatans ( Democrats)

Chairman Armed Forces Committee:
Carl Levin http://levin.senate.gov/

http://kennedy.senate.gov/

http://clinton.senate.gov/

http://byrd.senate.gov/

http://lieberman.senate.gov/

http://reed.senate.gov/

http://akaka.senate.gov/public/index.cfm

http://billnelson.senate.gov/

http://bennelson.senate.gov/

http://bayh.senate.gov/

http://pryor.senate.gov/

http://webb.senate.gov/

http://mccaskill.senate.gov/

[MARTIAL MONK]

You can whine about the facilities or you can pick up your tools and do something about it.

When I was a contractor I visited some friends in quarters that were disgusting. On principle, I never went after Government projects but I offered to rehab the units one at a time for free, if the base would provide the materials. The only catch was that we could not operate on a defined timetable other than we would not leave a unit unfinished.

I was looking to keep my guys working between other jobs and I was willing to pay them out of my own pocket. I got excuse after excuse after excuse until I gave up.

[alarm rider]

I don't remember much from OCS, but we did have it pounded into our thick heads that as officers, we were dead last after the health and welfare of those we commanded. We were nothing if our units were neglected. We put ourselves first only when it would benefit our troops, or save them from harm.

I think sometimes that it is so hard to define leadership because we make it so. Most of my experience with general officers is that they get waited on and surrounded by dog robbers and horse holders, and they forget the first lesson they should have learned. There is no excuse for someone that wears the rank while his or her troops live in bad conditions.

It is his or her responsibility to insure that the barracks/living quarters are clean and if it means a$$ needs to be kicked from the lowest troopy to the DC, then that is what must be done.

[brownsfan]

“When our ships deploy pretty much everything works. In port, between deployments, the living conditions were unbelievably bad. I would have opted for that barracks.”

I had the misfortune of spending my last 3 months on a ship in Norfolk shipyards. Dirty, filthy, nasty, noisy living conditions. If I had been on the line as to whether to re-up or not, that would have sealed the deal.
I didn’t think that was right, and I don’t think this is right. Our soldiers deserve better.

[vpintheak]

Gazebo’s and drop ceilings are one thing. Providing decent living quarters is another. And while I was in the Army we didn’t tolerate morons tearing things up either. If a mron did something stupid, first generally they got their ass handed to them by the rest of us, and second they had to either clean up or fix what they screwed up.

[3D-JOY]

bttt!