Army barracks set for repair after nationwide inspection

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- An inspection of barracks across the United States found that only a small fraction of rooms required immediate repairs, the Army said Friday.

The inspection was a result of recent reports of substandard living conditions in some barracks at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Of the 148,000 Army barracks inspected nationwide, 45 barracks at eight Army posts "were found to need immediate attention," said an Army statement released Friday.

Most of the barracks identified "have issues with mold and moisture-related problems," Army Installation Management Command spokesman Ned Christensen told the Army Times.

Only 13 soldiers had to be relocated while repairs brought their rooms up to living standards, Army officials said.

They said $250 million was redirected from other funds to get the repairs done immediately.

Army official gave this breakdown of how the funds will be divided among the barracks that need repairs:

• Fort Polk, Louisiana, $166 million.

• Fort Gordon, Georgia, $49.7 million.

• The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, $9.3 million.

• Fort Lewis, Washington, $7.4 million.

• Fort Stewart, Georgia, $6.2 million.

• Fort Bragg, North Carolina, $2.9 million (in addition to the $2.6 million spent in response to the initial reports).

• Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii, $1.7 million.

• Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, $1.2 million.

Army officials admitted that they are not happy about the conditions of many of the old barracks, and soldiers are not happy either.

New barracks at many posts are under construction or have been completed and will eventually replace all of the old units, the officials said.

"In the interim, the Army must continue to use and maintain aging barracks in our inventory," a written statement said. "Thirty percent of our existing barracks are World War II and Korean War-era and require large investments to extend their life until replacement facilities are constructed."

The inspection, which took place between April 26 and 30, was prompted by a video posted online by a soldier's father showing sewage backing up, rusty staircases, peeling paint and other substandard living conditions in a Korean War-era barracks at Fort Bragg.

Paratroopers from the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment moved into the barracks after returning from fighting in Afghanistan this year. The video was posted in April.

The Army said that it was quick to fix the problems and that the video was posted after the barracks had been repaired.

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