Fort Leonard Wood Adds Staff And Increases Communication To Fix Base Housing Issues
Date Posted: March 26, 2019
Posted In: News,
From St. Louis Public Radio: Soldiers and their families who live on base at Fort Leonard Wood will now have quarterly opportunities to express any concerns about their homes directly to the Garrison Commander.
And the staff that handles inspections and oversees repairs to the more than 1,800 homes at the base in the Ozarks will increase from three to five.
Those changes are the result of a national effort to review the quality of military housing and address concerns about delays in repairs.
The Military Family Advisory Network issued a scathing report to Congress last month showing substandard conditions at on-base housing across the country, and concern about reporting problems for fear of reprisal. The Department of Defense mandated a complete review and inspection of all bases around the country.
Garrison Commander Col. Eric Towns oversaw the effort at Fort Leonard Wood. It began with a town hall meeting at the end of February where about three dozen residents complained of issues ranging from unfair billing practices for utilities to delayed repairs to unresolved mold issues.
“We heard them loud and clear on many issues,” Towns said.
The town hall meetings will be held quarterly with commanders in attendance, he said.