Inspector General Robert P. Storch announced today that the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG) released the “Evaluation of the DoD’s Health, Safety, and Environmental Hazard Identification and Remediation in Military Housing.” The report identifies deficiencies in the DoD’s compliance with a dozen health, safety, and environmental hazard statutory requirements for military housing. The evaluation is the third in a series of reports in response to the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
“DoD officials must improve implementation of the NDAA requirements and ensure military housing is prioritized and funded for the health and safety of military members,” said IG Storch. “The current living conditions jeopardize recruiting new military members and the morale of those currently serving. This evaluation is the most recent of a series of reviews that the DoD OIG is doing in this very important area.”
The DoD OIG determined that although DoD officials took action to implement the 12 statutory requirements from the 2020 NDAA, they did not develop processes, issue policies, or provide administrative oversight. The DoD OIG identified instances where unaccompanied government-controlled housing was not well‑maintained and did not meet the minimum adequacy standards. As a result, residents in the locations visited by the OIG were exposed to health, safety, and environmental hazards, such as mold.
The DoD OIG made five recommendations, including that the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment direct the Chief Housing Officer to develop a plan of action and milestones to correct the implementation deficiencies identified in the report. The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment agreed with all five recommendations.
The DoD OIG will continue to monitor the DoD’s progress toward fully implementing all recommendations.