The U.S. military is accelerating a major housing overhaul with a 1.2 billion plan to modernize aging barracks.
This effort reflects a renewed priority under the Trump administration and the leadership of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
The Barracks Task Force, created in October, was given 30 days to craft an investment plan aimed at urgent housing issues and to bring in more private contractors.
The speed of the process signals a willingness to use private sector efficiency to speed improvements without sacrificing accountability.
As part of the plan, garrison commanders will direct more than 400 million dollars for what Hegseth called “immediate work.” Another 800 million dollars will go toward “critical” barracks renovation.
The plan was released as the Pentagon is currently conducting inspections on housing across the services.
The 2023 Government Accountability Office report highlighted serious quality-of-life problems in barracks, and Hegseth underscored these concerns. “Nobody wants to live in these kinds of conditions,” Hegseth said.
So far the new task force and the investments have produced tangible gains, Hegseth noted.
In the last month, it helped pay for new furnishings and mattresses at 81 barracks as well as new security systems for 13 barracks, among others, impacting more than 10,000 troops.
The larger investment comes after funds for housing were diverted to other projects earlier this year.
Those shifts included money meant for Army and Marines barracks being redirected to operations and construction projects along the southern border.
Robert Evans, founder of the Hots & Cots app that tracks barracks issues and who has attended task force meetings, said the Pentagon is “treating this as a real priority.”
Evans acknowledged troops’ skepticism about the plan, noting that issues with barracks “spanned multiple administrations and the backlog of maintenance is in the billions of dollars,” he said.
He added, “We’re not going to see major fixes overnight, but we should start seeing meaningful, incremental improvements.”
Evans continued, “The important thing is that the work is underway, and service members’ experiences are finally being reflected in the actions being taken.”
Hegseth also reported progress as the Defense Department has completed “wall to wall” assessments at housing for the Air Force, Space Force, Navy, Marine Corps and the 18th Airborne Division.
Assessments for the Army, the Reserves and National Guard’s barracks are set to be finished by the end of January, marking another milestone in the administration’s push to restore ready and safe living conditions for service members and their families.
As this plan moves forward, supporters argue the reforms align with a broader vision of a capable, ready American military.
They contend that improving housing is not a peripheral issue but a central component of overall readiness and morale.
At the same time, proponents say the focus on private partnerships and targeted renovations ensures accountability and faster results.
The result, they insist, will be a force equipped to meet ongoing challenges with renewed vigor and confidence in leadership.