The men and women who protect the country often endure tough conditions in makeshift accommodations overseas, but they are also being subjected to awful lapses in service where they live and work in this country, pictures show. Hots&Cots, a website showing the best and worst of armed-forces living, has revealed that many military barracks across the United States are dealing with black mold, busted air conditioning, uncooked chicken and paint in the eggs – conditions you’d expect to find in an unhealthy migrant shelter, not a US military base.
The website was set up by Robert Evans, a third-generation military man, who was inspired to launch Hots&Cots – a reference to the three hot meals and sleeping cots members of the military are promised – in hope of notifying service men and women about the most desirable places in which to request being stationed as well as least desirable spots, so they can try and avoid them.
Evans was sent a photo of a bathroom with a live wasp nest and has seen photos of rusty water coming out of barrack faucets – “They get told that the water is safe and normal even though it is brown,” said the Colorado source.
Noting some bases have exceptional meal set-ups – including one with a smoothie bar – Evans added, “There was an issue at Fort Sam Houston [Texas] where there were specks of mold in the dessert.” Elsewhere, he added, “There were paint chips in eggs. I’ve seen a range of stuff with the food.
Bad as all this sounds, Alissa Czyz, a director at the Government Accountability Office, told The Post the repercussions go beyond discomfort. It effects the readiness of service members as well as recruitment and retention [of service people],” said Czyz. People don’t want to send their children to go and live in substandard conditions or to re-enlist.
