Dad's video of run-down barracks sparks military response

[RamboLiberal]

Source: CNN

The U.S. military is promising action to address conditions in a barracks at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, after a soldier's father posted images on YouTube showing a building that he said "should be condemned."

"This is embarrassing. It's disgusting. It makes me mad as hell," Ed Frawley said of the building where his son, Sgt. Jeff Frawley, had to live upon his return this month from a 15-month deployment to Afghanistan.

Frawley said Monday that Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Dick Cody called him to say he shares Frawley's anger and that "there's no excuse." Cody said he would not want his own sons or any troops to return to such conditions, Frawley said.

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Paint -- which Frawley said is lead-based -- is chipping. Ceiling tiles are missing. A broken drain pipe allows sewer gas into the building, while another one has tissues stuffed into it in an apparent effort to stop the gas from coming in.

Photos from the communal bathroom show some of the most disgusting images. In one, a soldier stands in a sink to avoid what Frawley describes as 3 inches of sewage water that filled the floor when toilets overflowed.


Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/28/barracks.bragg/index.html

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A soldier battles overflowing sewage in the Fort Bragg barracks shortly after coming home from Afghanistan.

[Ian David]

1. We're fighting them over there, so we don't have to maintain our buildings over here? n/t

[RamboLiberal]

3. We must be using the same contractors we used in Iraq

More than a year after the Parsons Corporation, the American contracting giant, promised Congress that it would fix the disastrous plumbing and shoddy construction in barracks the company built at the Baghdad police academy, the ceilings are still stained with excrement, parts of the structures are crumbling and sections of the buildings are unusable because the toilets are filthy and nonfunctioning.

The project, where United States inspectors found giant cracks snaking through newly built walls and human waste dripping from ceilings, became one of the most visible examples of a $45 billion American reconstruction program that is widely seen as a failure.

The project also became an argument for the value of government oversight when, in response to the inspectors' findings, a Parsons executive told Congress in September 2006 that the company would fix the problems at no cost to the United States. Parsons now says that it did so, directing an Iraqi subcontractor to correct deficiencies at no additional charge.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/11/05/us-contractor-leaves-ir_n_71300.html

[LibertyLover]

36. Ahh,, Parsons -

that's a name I haven't had to deal with in a while. Last I heard, they were indeed trying to get some no-bid construction contracts in Iraq listing Kellogg, Brown and Root as their sub-contractor.

[hobbit709]

2. Maybe they should house the top brass in there

betcha the conditions will change quickly.

[TheDebbieDee]

4. I'd still like to know what happened to all those soldiers

wasting away in mold-infested barracks while recovering from devastating wounds across the street from Walter Reed Hospital.

Did they ever come up with a plan to make sure those soldiers were taken care of properly?

I did 8-1/2 years Active Duty Army and 9 years in the Army Reserves. I'm a veteran of the first Gulf War and it pisses me off to know that these soldiers are being jerked around and screwed out of their medical benefits by a C-in-C who would rather continue to give tax cuts to the rich rather than take of the people that do this nation's bidding!

[chat_noir]

5. Here's the YouTube video

Barracks for Charlie CO 2/508 82n Airborne

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46vYZFU1Dew

[Blue_Tires]

6. strange...it seems like the bigger the pentagon budget is

the more the quality in our military facilities/equipment resemble russia's

[MichiganVote]

7. Maybe the Pentagon will just bomb the place.

[maddezmom]

8. Dad's video of run-down barracks sparks military response

Source: CNN

CNN) -- The U.S. military is promising action to address conditions in a barracks at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, after a soldier's father posted images on YouTube showing a building that he said "should be condemned."


A soldier battles overflowing sewage in the Fort Bragg barracks shortly after coming home from Afghanistan.

1 of 2 "This is embarrassing. It's disgusting. It makes me mad as hell," Ed Frawley said of the building where his son, Sgt. Jeff Frawley, had to live upon his return this month from a 15-month deployment to Afghanistan.

Frawley said Monday that Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Dick Cody called him to say he shares Frawley's anger and that "there's no excuse." Cody said he would not want his own sons or any troops to return to such conditions, Frawley said.

Frawley's 10-minute video shows still photos from throughout the building, which appears to be falling apart and filled with mold and rust.

Paint -- which Frawley said is lead-based -- is chipping. Ceiling tiles are missing. A broken drain pipe allows sewer gas into the building, while another one has tissues stuffed into it in an apparent effort to stop the gas from coming in.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/28/barracks.bragg/index.html

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http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/28/barracks.bragg/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

[nichomachus]

9. Their response will probably be to confiscate all cameras

and punish any soldier whose family posts video like this.

BTW -- what does the military do with the hundreds of billions of dollars they steal from taxpayers?

[SpiralHawk]

10. Yet another example of chickenhawk Republicons screwing our soldiers

What is is with republicons. They mince around with their flag lapel pins, made in China -- and they screw our sons and daughters in uniform, and our veterans.

Ptooey on the republicon chickenhawk Administration.

[tsdraegeth]

11. .

It is absolutely disgusting that after fighting so hard to bring freedom, peace, relaxation, and sanitary conditions to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan, our soldiers should have to live somewhere that is dirty or filthy, let alone dangerous. We must immediately take action to protect them from this inhumane treatment that they did nothing to deserve.

[trumad]

12. Oh so that's why we're over there...

to bring them freedom.... snarf

[Indenturedebtor]

13. Write your candidate

Either one of them would love to get some press on this and do some good in the process.

[LynnTheDem]

14. After fighting so hard to WHAT????!!

Holy shit, WTF are you smoking???!

[Posteritatis]

43. He didn't say *successfully* fighting for 'em... (nt)

[jeff30997]

15. "freedom, peace, relaxation, and sanitary conditions to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan"

In what parallel Universe do you live ?

[Quantess]

45. Hah.

In your fucked up mind you think people at DU hate the troops.
Just look at what John McCain has in mind for the troops. His actions speak louder than words, and his actions in Congress say the American soldiers are disposable.

[jeff30997]

16. K&R

That's truly disgusting! :grr:

[hisownpetard]

17. K&R. This is disgusting. Billions of dollars to kill, but returning soldiers have to live

in conditions worse than when they were in Iraq!??!

I wish I could say what I really think Bush and his henchmen deserve.

[maddezmom]

18. give it another kick

I duped :hi:

[hisownpetard]

20. Sure.

[boobooday]

19. The bathrooms in my kids' elementary schools looked like that too

WTF is wrong with this country? Can't we take care of the most basic business?

[LuckyLib]

21. The Defense Department is calling Halliburton right this moment.

[saigon68]

35. Yes Halliburton will call Roto-Rooter Asap

And bill defense in a Cost Plus Manner

LOL

[GetTheRightVote]

22. Maybe some of the funds they are attempting to get for the war is going to this fort ?

What do you think?

[smiley_glad_hands]

23. Probably needs a new drainfield too.eom

[donco]

24. Seems to me this would be pretty good fodder

in an election, especially in being in N.Carolina.

[Highway61]

25. Jesus H Christ

Just when you think it couldn't get any worse...WTF, where is the media (again!!!!!!)????
There is a special hell for these neocons who did this to OUR Country and take things to this level. Makes me SICK!
K & R to keep it at the top

[RamboLiberal]

26. Where is our media

Dragging a black pastor through the mud! Or covering kids from the polygamists in Texas.

[Highway61]

27. I know, I know...

I know what they are covering...I am just so fucking weary of it all.

[SpiralHawk]

29. They're playing tennis with the war-enriched republicon Mercenary Armies

While our regular Armed Forces are neglected.

What's wrong with this picture?

[hatrack]

39. Sorry, they're all busy chuckling and applauding at the Correspondents' Dinner

Don't want our camera moths to stray too far from the Beltway flame, now do we?

:mad:

[AwakeAtLast]

28. Hey, it's the Army, they're supposed to be TOUGH!!!

Yes, it's :sarcasm:

You had to ask? :D

[Liberty Belle]

30. "They have the slowest contractors in the world," this says. I wonder

which Bush/Cheney cronies got paid to not to this job?

[Judi Lynn]

31. The father said they went for 8 weeks in Afghanistan without a shower.

No doubt back home it'll be longer than that before they'll want to use the showers in this building.

[bean fidhleir]

32. Low-rank facilities officers will have their careers terminated, but the top brass

will be fine

(edit) It turns out that their facilities head is a civilian. I wonder whether he's connected to Halliburton/KBR. I also wonder whether he'll skate and his boss, the garrison commander colonel, will take the rap instead.

[pokercat999]

33. I don't care if the "facilities head" is a civilian, it's the

garrison commander's responsibility to take care of his subordinates. He should be fried!

[bean fidhleir]

34. The colonel should take a hit, certainly. My question is whether

the civilian is connected and will thus escape any consequences.

[pokercat999]

41. There is very little justice in this world, the question i ask

myself is: Does it really matter?

[Quantess]

37. This was featured on CNN Headline News yesterday.

I saw it about 10 or 11 am Pacific Time.

[classysassy]

38. Support the troops

The top brass and the boy cic,shadup,you furnish you three hots and a cot,what more do you want.?

[KakistocracyHater]

40. Talliburton's values in action

gotta love those patriotic neocons:mad:

[Contrary1]

42. Check out this comment left at youtube:

"...Just heard from someone at Bragg that Charlie company was PUNISHED FOR REPORTING these conditions by having their leave cut and being forced to use the lost days of leave cleaning the barracks again.

If I HAD been planning on voting Republican, THIS would be enough to change my mind."

[rocktivity]

44. Here's hoping that the miltitary doesn't take it out on his son.

Don't be surprised if he's re-deployed by the end of the week!

:eyes:
rocknation

[flashl]

46. Seems like annual event, rundown barrack stories, outrage, soldiers punished, no further action. nt