View Full Version : Joe Galloway on Barracks
BMT (RIP)
05-08-2008, 04:16
http://www.mcclatchydc.com:80/galloway/story/35558.html
:lifter
:munchin
Joe seem's to understand the problem.
BMT
http://www.mcclatchydc.com:80/galloway/story/35558.htmlJoe seem's to understand the problem.BMT
Except for:
the unit had returned to the same barracks they had occupied prior to going to Iraq
the unit returned to their barracks earlier than had been planned
the barracks were scheduled for repair/upgrading prior to the unit's return but were not done because the unit had returned early
the barracks are scheduled for demolition FY09
I have empathy for the young soldier whose old man posted the video on youtube--probably without his knowledge or concurrance--and made the national 'gloom n' doom' news cycle...and the unit which will now have to answer a series of 'pink cover sheet' (congressional) inquiries over something they were probably in the midst of handling anyway.
Richard's $.02 :munchin
BMT (RIP)
05-08-2008, 05:12
2/508 was due back 17 April !! They started arriving 13 April. How is that 3 weeks earlier. I probably have the FRG newsletter's with date's.
BMT
Some one dropped the ball...
Stay safe.
2018commo
05-08-2008, 05:15
This is a great article, center of mass on target.
If you are a Commander or First Sergeant/ Company SGM and you get an ISR (Installation Status Report) work book, take the time and report the condition of the building you are responsible for accurately. One fact to remember: Red is good, it builds a requirement, Amber is the ACSIM standard and Green is a new building. This is not the USR, your head will not roll, unless you report Green and your building makes the news for mold, rats and third world conditions.
If you are retired, contact your congressional representatives and call for the ASCIM’s head. No Soldier deserves to live in conditions in Bragg-dad worse than those at Camp Cropper. The games being played between the MDEP’s responsible for SRM and Public Works need to stop.
The Reaper
05-08-2008, 05:21
I am with Richard and disagree with Joe as well.
As discussed repeatedly elsewhere, the O&M that pays for maintenance is routinely funded at 25-30% of the necessary amount to maintain a steady state. When Congress fails to approve the military appropriations bill in a timely manner, the Army has to take money from other accounts to pay for higher priorities.
In fact, the Army just reported that if Congress does not get the appropriations bill approved soon, all military pay and allowances will run out on 15 June.
That bill will be packed with pork and is still not going to be passed in a timely fashion. So much for our great Dim Congress taking care of the troops.
And the Army does not request Congressional junkets, Congresscritters do.
Sometimes, when I read Joe's recent articles, I get a visual image of a certain Cervantes character.:rolleyes:
TR
Some one dropped the ball...
Stay safe.
At all levels.
I will be the first to say that it is a travesty that our Soldier's live in such conditions, however there are multiple levels of responsibility. For my part I am in my Soldier's billeting weekly, and have a published policy that daily walk throughs are conducted by the junior leaders within my company. Room cleanliness is a Soldier responsibility which is enforced by the chain of command. I am here to tell you that their are Soldier's out their who would live like absolute pigs if allowed to do so. Even so this part is easy and just takes leaders stepping up and doing their damn job.
The overall condition of the barracks like maintenance and upkeep are a different ball of wax. Every few weeks I personally have to walk into billeting with work orders and rant about why deficiencies are not corrected. Everything from replacing lightbulbs to doors falling off of hinges becomes an issue at my level. To add to the turmoil our billeting complex is farmed out to SWCS, USASFC, and even some 82nd bubbas. Take a walk through the 5 story over there and you will see what I am talking about.
Leaders need to get involved and stay involved.
A couple of articles from todays Fayetteville Observer
http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=293470
and
http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=293475
The second story is not about barracks but single soldier housing they would rent - SSGs and above.
Sometimes, when I read Joe's recent articles, I get a visual image of a certain Cervantes character.:rolleyes:
TR
Whomever could you mean, TR???
In fact, the Army just reported that if Congress does not get the appropriations bill approved soon, all military pay and allowances will run out on 15 June.
That bill will be packed with pork and is still not going to be passed in a timely fashion. ... TR
You are correct that the supplemental will NOT be passed in time that's the latest word that I am hearing too...And that 'Army' includes both the AC and the NG, BTW. Because congress can't seem to accomplish one of it's core tasks there will be no end to the gyrations that will occur to keep the Army funded thru July (or into August). It will impact sister services as well.
http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=293475
The second story is not about barracks but single soldier housing they would rent - SSGs and above.Holy smokes!
The rooms vary in size from 800 to more than 1,200 square feet.
Stay safe.
Some one dropped the ball...
Hmmmm...and if they truly did, have they relieved the XO, ASST-3, and rest of the Quartering Party for failure to prep the area for the unit's return? :confused:
Richard :munchin
Hmmmm...and if they truly did, have they relieved the XO, ASST-3, and rest of the Quartering Party for failure to prep the area for the unit's return? :confused:
Richard :munchinI've never been a fan of "mass" punishment!:cool:
Stay safe.
A couple of articles from todays Fayetteville Observer
http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=293470
Guys,
I read the articles and have a few observations:
As a Company Commander, the NCOs and I took care of 95% of our barracks maintenance and repair issues.
Within our Bn, we identified those soldiers--officers, NCOs, EM--who were adept at various handyman skills and would use them as much as possible to (1) save our maintenance $$$ for BIG issues or adding MWR type things for the soldiers benefit, (2) get the job done as quickly as possible, and (3) help instill pride in our "home."
WTF is Congress doing 'mandating' a local command initiative
Is the Army that 'broken' that NCOs are not doing the simple things that we used to assume were our job?
Richard :munchin
Guys,
I read the articles and have a few observations:
As a Company Commander, the NCOs and I took care of 95% of our barracks maintenance and repair issues.
Within our Bn, we identified those soldiers--officers, NCOs, EM--who were adept at various handyman skills and would use them as much as possible to (1) save our maintenance $$$ for BIG issues or adding MWR type things for the soldiers benefit, (2) get the job done as quickly as possible, and (3) help instill pride in our "home."
WTF is Congress doing 'mandating' a local command initiative
Is the Army that 'broken' that NCOs are not doing the simple things that we used to assume were our job?
Richard :munchin
They would have had a different outlook if they had been occupying the barracks the whole time. The problem was that the building had been unoccupied for a long time and things had been stripped. The unit returned and was thrown in before it was cleaned up a bit. It was a bad situation and if I had been in Astan for 15 months and was put in there I would have been pissed but would have done what they were doing "Soldier through it"
The Reaper
05-08-2008, 08:25
We were demobing soldiers coming back from OIF/OEF and were putting them into the old WW II splinter barracks off of Butner Road.
There were squad bays with soiled, wet, and stained mattresses on metal bunk beds, missing window screens, inop gang showers, etc.
They would have been glad to move into the 82nd's old barracks.
I personally felt that if you yank a soldier out of his civilian life with his family, jeopardize his job, and deploy him somewhere and ask him to kill people for you, they should receive better treatment than that when they return.
The new barracks are VERY nice, a far cry from what we had when I entered in 1979.
TR