Navy orders global base review after shocking Guam findings
After inspecting the barracks in Guam, where the poor condition of the buildings was discovered, a review of all U.S. bases worldwide was ordered. A high-ranking Navy official was "shocked and dismayed."
What you need to know
- Where and what was discovered? An inspection of the barracks on the island of Guam in Micronesia revealed the dilapidated condition of the residential buildings.
- What actions were taken? Following the discovery, a global review of all U.S. military bases was ordered to assess their condition.
- Who reacted? Admiral Scott Gray, responsible for the U.S. Army barracks, deemed the situation a "failure of leadership."
The inspection of the barracks on the island of Guam, which is part of Micronesia in the Pacific, uncovered the appalling condition of the residential buildings. A high-ranking U.S. Navy official, John Phelan, was "shocked and dismayed" by the findings.
Photos from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam showed mold, hanging electrical cables, cracked floors, and rusted pipes.
After exposing the dire condition of the barracks, Admiral Scott Gray, who oversees the U.S. Army barracks, ordered a comprehensive review of all U.S. military bases worldwide. Gray described the situation as a "failure of leadership across multiple echelons of command."
What do the photos from the base in Guam show?
Photos from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, released by the Project on Government Oversight, showed poorly painted-over mold, dangling electrical cables, cracked concrete floors, and rusted sewer pipes.
John Phelan wrote in correspondence to his superiors, stating that "the on-base golf course was in far better shape than the barracks."
