Washington — The US Senate National Security and Government Affairs Panel on Tuesday burned officials running private housing for military personnel about reports of dire living conditions from military families.
A hearing led by Georgia’s Democratic Senator John Osov and Wisconsin’s top Republican member Ron Johnson Report According to the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigation.
From August 2021 to April this year, Balfour Beatty Community staff said, “Urgent from military families to deal with situations such as mold and roof leaks that threaten family health and safety. We often ignored or delayed responding to requests. “
The problem plagued homes at two military bases, Fort Gordon Army Base in Georgia and Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. Balfour operated about 1,000 units at Fort Gordon and about 700 units at Sheppard Air Force Base.
“The results of this investigation are alarming, anxious, revealing the injustices imposed on military personnel and their families, revealing significant risks to the health and safety of military personnel and their families, and housing for dozens of people. He revealed the negligence of Balfour Beatty, who is in charge of the situation. Thousands of military families, “Osov said in the opening statement.
One witness, Captain Samuel Cho was stationed while he and his family were stationed. Fort Gordon, they lived in a private residential facility operated by Balfour.
According to Choi, her daughter is now 10 years old. Potentially deadly mold allergies after they move to their home. Choi said his daughter had rashes on her arms and legs after being exposed to black mold and mold in her apartment, even though he and his wife repeatedly reported to the visible mold company. Told.
Choi To testify, he traveled on a 17-hour flight from where he is currently stationed in South Korea.
“Words, deeds, and my testimony can never completely convey the physiological, psychological, and emotional pain she had to endure, and can endure for the rest of her life. “Che said about her daughter. “She is expected to need to survive atopic dermatitis well into her adulthood.”
Choi said her daughter received two shots a month to improve her skin condition from June 2021 to February this year. The treatment she receives is retailed for $ 3,000 to $ 4,000 per injection.
Balfour pushes back
The hearing was divided into two witness panels.Senators heard from housing advocates and members of military families such as Choi, who currently live. Balfour’s house, first panel.
Balfour Officials — Richard C. Taylor, President of Facility Operations, Refurbishment and Construction And Paula Cook, Vice President of Military Community Management — I was in the second panel.
Balfour operates more than 43,000 on-base homes at 55 Army, Navy and Air Force bases in 26 states, serving approximately 150,000 residents.
The Justice Department investigated the company for deceiving the government for six years when Balfour pleaded guilty in December.
“Instead of quickly repairing US service member homes as needed, the BBC lied about the repairs and put millions of dollars in performance bonuses in their pockets,” said Deputy Secretary Lisa O. Monaco. It states as follows. statement Following Balfour’s guilty plea.
Taylor and Cook defended Balfour confirmed that their company is working on fixing the error. They pushed back testimony from witnesses on the first panel, including Choi.
Johnson pressured Taylor to accept the testimony from Choi. Tech. Sgt. Jack Fe Torres, who reported mold on his home, said work orders were changed or closed even if the problem persisted.
“I think it’s their perception of what happened,” Taylor said. “I think we have a different perception.”
Osov asked Taylor why the panel should trust Balfour and pointed out in December that the company had pleaded guilty to committing fraud against the US government between 2013 and 2019.
“Things don’t work. We’re not perfect,” Taylor said.
Taylor opposed Osov’s accusations that these were systematic issues with Balfor housing and said he believed his company was credible.
“I was shocked by what I didn’t think was systemic,” said Osov, every time he visited a service member in the state. Balfour management.
Senator Maggie Hassan, a Democrat in New Hampshire, said he was concerned that these issues could occur in his own state as well.
She asked Rachel Christian, The spread of illegal activity at Balfour and other private housing contractors, the founder and chief legislator of the military housing advocates.
“You will see it in every installation you go to,” Christian said. In a 55 Balfour Beatty installation, she said, “I can’t come up with anything that didn’t have the problem of closing work orders before it was completed,” she said.
The subject of the Tuesday hearing is not a new issue. In 2019, the US Senate Military Commission received testimony regarding similar complaints.
Military families stationed in both Fort Bragg and Camp Rejeune, North Carolina, have recently filed proceedings for failing to provide safe and habitable conditions for the private sector in charge of base housing.
