I'm Living WHERE?

Today airforcewife is not a happy camper.  Not.  At.  All.

And there is a very good reason for it.  It has to do with our privatized housing.

A few nights ago, while I was walking my dog Ike around base, I had a "run-in" with a group of teenagers having severe behavioral problems.  If you can call throwing rocks behind people a mere behavioral problem.

When I got home, I asked my husband to call the law enforcement desk and have Security Forces come out and take care of the issue... but I was informed that was not possible.

It seems that our base, which has been privatized, falls under something called "proprietary jurisdiction," - which is to say the military police can't legally patrol or perform law enforcement duties in our housing area. 

This started many years ago when our base was opened.  The federal government asked the State Police to patrol the streets in our housing area.  This allowed more federal monies for the state police and built goodwill with the surrounding communities.  Because the housing units themselves remained federal property, Security Forces and OSI still had jurisdiction inside them, and the State Police did not have to add an enormous workload to their already busy schedules.

Well, now housing has privatized and the buildings aren't owned by the federal government anymore, which means no military police and a local sheriff's department that is irritated they suddenly have
an extra area that is demanding more police presence than their other areas of responsibility.

Can anyone say fiasco? 

The base troublemakers are well aware that the military can't do diddley-squat now, and have adjusted their behavior accordingly, which means they are taking full advantage of disobeying noise ordinances in cars, prowling the streets, knocking over trash cans, putting graffiti on tot-lot equipment, and in general creating a distasteful living environment.  And now our base is also contending with a gang problem that is growing in visibility, with nothing being done about it.  ACTIVE GANGS!  ON BASE!

I've heard from both an Army spouse and a Marine spouse who informed me that their bases are also experiencing these same problems with the falling quality of life on base due to the lack of federal jurisdiction in privatization change-overs.  The Army spouse actually informed me that her husband and the other men in the neighborhood were walking neighborhood watch patrols at night because of home break ins.  ON POST!

Of course, the safety issue is just another aspect of base housing that has not lived up to the hype that military families were promised.  In my own experience, I had a caved in ceiling in my breakfast nook from January until April when someone was finally able to come fix it.  They did screw a 2 x 4 into the sagging area to kind of brace it up in the meantime, however.

I'm not sure who forgot to write accountability into the contracts for base privatization, but they don't seem to be learning from past mistakes.  I've talked to people at a MAJCOM headquarters in the Midwest
who are utterly livid at the shenanigans going on there - including overcharging for utilities.  Yet none of that was taken into account when figuring the contracts at our base, even though their change-over happened two years earlier.  I was also informed that the base command is trying to change the issue with jurisdiction, but the process is only beginning.  And in the meantime, the company that took over our housing area gets some very big checks from the government every month and doesn't seem to have a lot of quality control. 

It makes me very sad, because base living was a constant I really looked forward to.  The camaraderie and "family-ness" of living with people in the same boat we were in was a stable thing to depend on in a very unstable lifestyle.  I have to say, I would not make the choice to live in base housing on a privatized base again.

Comments

[MO]

I hear the same thing here at Hood. More and more of what makes our way of life secure and unique is being taken from us. If our soldiers are worried about their family back home it will be hard for them to do their jobs. I know living off post isn't easy but you would think living on post would, if anything, give peace of mind. I have to cluck my tongue at the DOD, or who ever decides on these things and doesn't look at the big picture.

That's the government for you though. Rash decisions and bandaid solutions. *sigh*

[Kasey]

I live on post here at Bragg and am very unhappy with the privatized housing. The standards of living just aren't held up very high.

Our air broke in August during 100 degree heat and it took them four days to fix it. Our neighbors have garbage piled behind their house, which we have reported several times to no avail.

It is a shame what on post housing has become. There is new housing here, but they don't maintain their older housing at all so what is the point?

[(army) wife]

Wow! That floors me that post housing is that bad. I simply do not understand our government sometimes. Lately, it seems that those with political power are more interested in making a buck than making sure that the men and women that provide them with the ability to have the political power are happy and well taken care of.

[Slightly Salty]

Again, it just smacks of the people in this country making the most sacrifices and not being taken care of. Our military people sacrifice everything, don't get paid nearly enough for the dangerous jobs they do, and then to boot, get stuck with crappy base housing and no accountability when stuff goes wrong. I've never lived on base so I can only sympathize with you all but this truly upsets me to hear all of this. I'd say an angry letter writing campaign is needed.

[dutchgirl]

Whoa! I haven't lived on post in a good while but with our upcoming move we probably will have to... I've heard complaints about the privatization before, but I had no idea it had degenerated this far! Seems like little by little the powers that be are making the few benefits of being a military family disappear.

Is there something we can do??

[Sly2017]

FWIW, I sent a section of this to MH (an MP for 24 yrs.)and asked him is this was true. He says, "I heard this same rumor about a Navy base once, but we do not have any bases with that type of Jurisdiction in the Corps so I don't know if this true [for the other branches] or not."
I know that the closest thing I've ever seen was at Yuma where they had an agreement that allowed joint jurisdiction with the county. The Marine Corps remained the presiding authority, though.

[Marine Wife]

AFW, you're making me think that unfixable (they've tried 3 times now) waterfall on my back wall isn't so bad. (It's flowing again, just days after Hubs returned to Iraq.) At least we still have the MPs here...

[Semper Fi Wife]

Sly,
I moved right before they started to privatize San Onofre housing so I just assumed that the jurisdiction for law enforcement was similiar to what others were experiencing on other bases.

That said, I've gotten alot of emails regarding vandalism, arson, gang activity, animal cruelty and drugs in that neighborhood.

[Sly2017]

SFW-
You're making me glad that he's a division MP this go-round and not with PMO. And this whole post just reaffirms my desire to live off-base.

[SLB]

And yet we have Gates and Army Secretary Casey signing a "covenant" with military families....what a joke. Sometimes I wonder if ALL MILIITARY spouses shouldn't march on the Pentagon and scare the crap out of Gates and his nimrods.

Sorry if this offends, but that is how I feel right now.

[liberal army wife]

Our wait time for quarters - 6 months. And now, I think I won't even bother putting our name on the list.

LAW

[Tressa]

I wondered how this would turn out. We haven't lived in housing since all this started. I never thought it was right that they would privatize like this. I didn't think it would be good, but it sounds worse than I thought it would be. I am sorry.

[phyllis]

I think that the media needs to know the worst. I think if the media took up the story about how bad it is for the wives of the soldiers serving our country people might get angry. I can tell you from a civilan standpoint they have no idea. I think this would be a good story try they local newspapers first. Your neighborhoods sound like the getto and that is deplorable.

[Michael D. Austing]

What a sad state of affairs. My wife and lived in a few different military quarters; Okinawa; Ft Devens, MA and Ft Ben Harrison, IN. The quarters were older style but comfortable and maintenance was quick when called for. I was an MP and, when needed, MP response was quick. It's a shame "left behind" families have to worry about security when their spouses are overseas. Glad I got out of the Army when I did.

[dizzylizzie]

yep, fort eustis here in virginia has all those same problems you've mentioned AFW. not sure about the juristiction thing but those problems are here.

recently, i had a neighbor shooting a high caliber BB gun in his back yard and one went right into my bedroom window breaking both panes and leaving the BB in the sill. MPs did basically nothing and the housing people expected ME to pay for the window since i didnt actually SEE my neighbor shoot the window, i only saw them shooting at beer bottles in the backyard. (which butts up against my back yard and my bedroom window)

my kids are FORBIDDEN from our 'play grounds' due to the trash, graffeti, broken glass & beer bottles, and evidence of a not-so-discrete encounter between two individuals who apparently can not afford a hotel room.

the one open field we have near us that i brought the kids to play, the lawnmower people RAN OVER a bag of trash so now there is shredded trash EVERYWHERE.

my friend next door found a female black widow spider on her window (after squashing the head to kill it without messing with the markings on its body, she used my computer to verify thats what it was) called the housing office to come and spray and they told her "get a can of raid". we learned that black widows lay 4-6 egg sacs with up to 750 eggs in each. now THAT gives you the warm and fuzzies about living in your home doesnt it??

i could go on about the roaming pit bulls that chase innocent people walking down the street and attack dogs on leashes. or any other of the gazillion things that go on here but i think you get the drift. hence the name: Welcome to Fort Useless. This is our first experience living on post. with any luck it will be our last!

[Cara]

Hi, I was just wondering if you could email me privately with the name of your base: I am working with these issues on an Air Force installation and I have been trying to get some cross-feed on jurisdictional issues on other bases: So far, everyone I have talked to at other AF installations seems perplexed by my even posing the question! Can you please email me with more details about your jurisdiction? I don't want to take over this thread. Thanks!!

[Nomad Librarian]

We don't live on base, but I've heard the same things from friends who do. People around here have had the best results writing editorials to the base newspaper with names, vehicle types, etc. Even if SF can't do anything about it, the shame factor has kept incidents to a minimum.

[Armywifenmomto3]

Hi,
I do live on an Army post which is privitized and have actually had a great experience with maintainence, great playgrounds and the post grounds all together neat. I have noticed, though, the MP situation mentioned. Although our MP's said the delays in break in responses are mainly due to lack of man power. I believe this some what since the majority of this installation is deployed. I have experienced teenagers running wild, graffetti, domestic violence appears to be out of hand some evenings, WILD dogs and aggressive raccoons (ok, no lauging but they come up to you and HISS! those things have claws, teeth, and possible rabbies) bat infestations (yes Bats, where 10% tested positive for the rabies virus ),and varying other problems.
It could be the size of a post/base that determines who patrols it maybe? The post here is very large with its own power grids and water supply, and police. But I know of smaller installations who have had nothing but bad things happen since housing was privitized.
From my understanding, the civillian companies that have the contracts with the government vary. The one here is Equity and I will say, they have done a pretty good job of upkeep. But the common response when calling in a complaint is "The MP's handle that" then when you call the MP's you are told "Call Housing." I would do as others have suggested and write the local papers complaining about the company handling your housing.

I do have one complaint though about the utility bills starting. We live in historic housing...1930 big brick multiplexes things! Radiators and the windows are the orginal. Some close all the way, some do not. WE were told we would start paying for heat and electric soon, by taking the average of the multiplex and dividing it by 5! What if I am gone for 2 months...I would still have a bill. That, I think is wrong if not illegal.
We take the good with the bad, but it seems as if in some cases the bad is outweighing the good when it comes to post/base housing. It is a shame since it used to be the way I wanted to live and have since I was born with father and hubby in the military. I think our next duty station calls for a home of our own if these conditions worsen throughout the military communities.

[marinemomnotspouse]

How about having your congressman come for a base housing visit and have the local media there to cover with photographer?? Put some heat on the gov't, state first, to answer for the responsibility of privatizing over military control of the bases.

[MakeThemHearYou!]

Begin with the Military Privatized Housing Initiative in DC. These are 50 year leases, these homes that are still on federal property ARE owned by the government, RCI is the go between between the residents and the Army. Speak loud enough and long enough and they will hear you. I tried the system, it failed, I took it to Garrison, they failed, I then told everyone I would be happy to speak with anyone in the press that would like to hear my story, they took notice......the state of housing, both military and privatized is horrible. There needs to be some testimony before the Senate from those affected and not just the military wishing to change the legislation. Bring the issues to the NMFA, have them take the issues to the Senate. Begin the fight and make them hear you. MAKE THEM LISTEN. This is the tip of an ICEBERG making Walter Reed's issues small when you consider how many issues residents face with failing housing that is not being replaces, the issues with crime and not enough law enforcement and the fact that contracts are not being fulfilled by the the privatized corporations. Begin the CHANGE NOW!