Navy Order Force Wide Housing Inspections After Navel Secretary Sees Baracks Housing
What began as a routine tour by Navy Secretary John Phelan earlier this month has exploded into a full-scale reckoning over living conditions for U.S. military personnel. Phelan’s visit to Palau Hall at Andersen Air Force Base on May 1-2 left him "appalled" — a reaction that triggered a Navy-wide inspection of over 100,000 barracks units and a growing outcry over deteriorating infrastructure and leadership failures across the armed services.
“I actually thought the buildings were condemned,” Phelan said after seeing the conditions firsthand.
His shock wasn’t misplaced. The inspection revealed exposed wiring, corroded plumbing, dilapidated walls covered in mold, and widespread health hazards that Phelan deemed unacceptable for housing American service members — particularly junior troops. The facility, which housed over 70 Marines and sailors, is now empty, and its remaining 77 airmen are being relocated ahead of a $53 million renovation.
Vice Adm. Scott Gray, head of Navy installations, responded by directing all regional commands to complete thorough inspections by the end of May. His guidance was blunt:
“If you would not want a sailor’s mother/family visiting them at the housing unit, then you have a problem that needs to be addressed. Fix it!”
Each facility is being rated red, yellow, or green, with "red" barracks triggering immediate relocation of personnel and "yellow" ones prioritized for restoration. The Navy confirmed inspections will continue through June, with leadership at multiple levels now under scrutiny for “failure across multiple echelons of command.”
This marks one of the largest barracks condition audits in years — and not just for Navy-owned properties. Because military branches often share housing, facilities like Palau Hall, while owned by the Air Force, fall under Navy inspection if sailors are assigned there.
The investigation, led in part by the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), reveals a systemic issue often hidden by military culture. Many junior enlisted members are hesitant to report poor living conditions, fearing backlash or being told to simply “tough it out.” But mold, fire hazards, and broken infrastructure aren’t just uncomfortable — they’re dangerous.
“It’s worth mentioning that there are very serious dangers connected to not maintaining housing facilities,” said POGO senior investigator René Kladzyk.
The issue isn't unique to Guam. A 2023 GAO report found mold, rodents, raw sewage, and collapsing infrastructure across barracks nationwide. Leaders have long acknowledged that quality-of-life initiatives fell behind during 20 years of wartime operations — but the problem is now jeopardizing morale, recruitment, and retention.
While all service branches claim to be prioritizing housing restoration, the resources tell another story. The Air Force alone faces a $49.5 billion maintenance backlog, and despite a four-year plan to improve dormitories at Andersen, military leaders are watching a fresh crisis unfold: the reallocation of $1 billion meant for Army barracks to help fund the military’s southern border mission.
Even the proposed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” aimed at enacting parts of President Trump’s national defense agenda, spreads its $1 billion in housing relief thinly across all services. Experts warn this isn’t nearly enough to reverse years of neglect.
“This will impact retention and this will impact recruiting,” said Rob Evans, creator of Hots & Cots, an app that allows troops to rate and review military facilities.