The Condition of Military Housing: Leadership Is AWOL

Opinions and Articles
Written By David Petri

Rear Adm. Tom Jurkowsky, USN (Ret.)

Real Clear Defense

June 26, 2025

During a visit to Guam a few weeks ago, Navy Secretary John Phelan was so appalled by the condition of the barracks he toured that he ordered leadership to move out the Sailors and Marines who were living in them. Phelan said he initially thought the buildings were condemned because of their appearance—exposed wires, badly corroded plumbing, water damage, and mold in the rooms.

Phelan’s findings and reaction prompted Vice Adm. Scott Gray, the head of Navy installations, to order a worldwide inspection of Navy barracks. In his email ordering the inspection, Gray attached photos from the Guam barracks and referred to their condition as “clearly neglected” and “unacceptable.” Gray also said the conditions are a failure of leadership.

Does it take a visit by the Secretary of the Navy to identify problems of this magnitude? The questions that arise immediately from the Secretary’s findings are: Where was our leadership on scene—not just senior officer leadership but senior enlisted leadership? Whatever happened to zone inspections or even walk-throughs of barracks by senior enlisted personnel? Is this what our military services have come to?

Read Article Here
David Petri

Dave Petri is a marketing and sustainability professional with 30 years of leadership experience across multiple industries. Since 2010, Dave’s professional experience has primarily been in the Outdoor Industry, including industry-wide leadership roles. He launched Cynosura Consulting in 2019 and is the principal consultant, providing his expertise to various companies and organizations in the manufacturing, hospitality, and event management sectors.

https://www.cynosurallc.com
Previous

The Loss of National Security Expertise
Next

I led National Guard and regular Army units. Using the military to intimidate Americans is 100% wrong