Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Tuesday that the Trump administration is creating a new “barracks task force” to improve the living conditions of U.S. service members following a report under former President Joe Biden’s administration that documented “poor living conditions” in the U.S. military.
Addressing new U.S. military recruits at the Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia on Tuesday, Hegseth confirmed that the Department of War is “establishing a new barracks task force” that will be charged with “developing a department-wide barracks investment plan” within the next month. Hegseth noted that the Trump administration’s task force and barracks investment plan is something that has “never been done before.”
The secretary of war explained that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump in July, provided more than $1 billion as the “down payment” in the War Department’s effort to improve the living conditions of the U.S. military’s barracks.
“We are going to fix the barracks issue across all of our services, because two years ago, the Government Accountability Office released a report said, quote, ‘poor living conditions undermine quality of life and readiness,'” Hegseth said.
READ MORE: Hegseth ends military committee promoting ‘divisive feminist agenda’
A U.S. Government Accountability Office’s report, published in 2023, warned that many military barracks were in “poor condition,” with some barracks failing to meet privacy and amenity requirements and others featuring various safety risks.
“Despite that report, the Biden administration did nothing,” Hegseth continued. “It is simply unacceptable that in some cases, our warriors continue to live in substandard housing. Every war fighter of our joint force deserves housing that is clean, comfortable, and safe.”
“Adequate housing for our force is critical to reviving a warrior ethos and rebuilding our military,” Hegseth added. “Barracks are where warriors go to rest and recover, a place to go to mentally and physically prepare for winning the next fight.”
Hegseth announced that the new barracks task force will allow local and unit commanders to better take care of U.S. military members. The secretary of war also announced that his office would personally review the task force’s plan.
During his speech on Tuesday, Hegseth said the Department of War is going to support U.S. military members “like never before, not just in the fight, but alongside your family, alongside your welfare, the basics, like barracks.”
“You deserve the best,” Hegseth added. “We can do a lot better than we’ve done in so many places, and we’re going to invest in that.”
