The Army is considering a significant expansion of privatized barracks, a concept it has revisited periodically since the 1990s and one that gained renewed momentum under the previous administration.
As part of a pilot program, construction is expected to begin this summer on a new privately managed facility at Fort Irwin, California, designed to house approximately 500 junior enlisted soldiers. The project began more than a year ago.
The initiative reflects the Army's ongoing struggle to maintain aging infrastructure, which has left some service members living in substandard and, in some cases, hazardous conditions.
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"We're looking at expansion writ large," David Dentino, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for installations, housing and partnerships, told reporters Thursday.
"Everything is on the table with the new secretary," he added, referring to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. "He comes in from the private equity world, so he's a great person to talk to about these types of things."
The approach to privatized barracks in the previous administration was tepid, given that many of the housing companies the Army currently does business with are often embroiled in scandals, but that effort may expand. Reports of mold, rodent infestations, outdated plumbing and faulty wiring have plagued privatized military homes, drawing scrutiny from lawmakers and military families.
The pilot project for privatized barracks at Fort Irwin is being built by the Michaels Organization. In 2023, Military.com reported that the Michaels Organization, which manages family housing at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, required military families to sign nondisclosure agreements as part of a settlement involving dangerous living conditions, including pest infestations and pervasive mold.
John O'Donnell, the company's chief executive, was later named in a federal racketeering indictment in 2024 -- though the charges were recently dismissed.
The Army's barracks system remains deeply underfunded. Despite a roughly $2 billion annual budget for barracks maintenance and construction, the service faces a growing backlog of necessary repairs estimated at $7.5 billion. That figure continues to climb, exacerbated by inflation and years of deferred maintenance.
As part of its push for modernization, the Army is also exploring alternative construction technologies.
In February, the Department of Defense unveiled its first 3D-printed barracks at Fort Bliss, Texas -- three modest training barracks totaling approximately 5,700 square feet. The buildings were constructed using ICON's Vulcan 3D printer, a massive device standing nearly 16 feet tall and 47 feet wide. Regular barracks take four to six years to build, mostly due to a labyrinth of federal bureaucracy.
While training barracks are effectively open warehouses and not as complex as long-term living barracks, which are loosely akin to apartments, service officials hope 3D-printed facilities can be an avenue to skirt red tape; the printed barracks at Bliss were developed in less than two years.
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