XPost: alt.gossip.celebrities, alt.politics.democrats.d, sac.general   
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   From: felcher.adam.schiff@sacbee.com   
      
   PENTAGON – Military families testified Wednesday about "slum-   
   like" conditions in some privatized base housing that they   
   allege contributes to disease and birth defects.   
      
   Crystal Cornwall, a Marine spouse and member of the Safe   
   Military Housing Initiative, appeared before Senate lawmakers to   
   describe her experience with families who live in unsuitable   
   conditions, in homes built by private contractors on military   
   bases.   
      
   "I have felt the helplessness of a fellow Marine Corps spouse as   
   she held her new baby and sobbed while we stood under a   
   collapsing moldy ceiling in her home at Camp Lejeune," she said   
   filled with emotion.   
      
   ARMY SOLDIER RETURNS HOME, SURPRISES MOTHER AT SACRAMENTO KINGS   
   GAME   
      
   "I listened in horror as families at Camp Pendleton told of mice   
   eating through pacifiers and their baby's cribs and electrical   
   outlets catching fire due to wiring issues."   
      
   Another military spouse, Janna Driver, testified Wednesday that   
   she suffered from "constant sore throats, nose bleeds, brain   
   fog, blurred vision numbness, fatigue, debilitating headaches."   
      
   She said her children suffered headaches so severe that she was   
   "concerned they had cancer."   
      
   The Military and Family Advisory Network ran an online survey   
   last month that received 16,000 responses from military families   
   across the country, finding that 56 percent of those surveyed   
   found living conditions in base housing was "negative" or "very   
   negative."   
      
   Thousands of military families have complained that the poor   
   housing conditions, which some have called "slum-like," have led   
   to disease and even birth defects.   
      
   Some families reported rats, toxic mold, vermin and lead in   
   their homes.   
      
   REMAINS OF NAVY SAILOR FROM SAN DIEGO, KILLED AT PEARL HARBOR,   
   HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, PENTAGON SAYS   
      
   Conditions on U.S. military bases were so bad in 1996 that the   
   military privatized 99 percent of base housing. Contractors   
   moved in, which seemed like a good deal for the government --   
   but some outraged military families argued the contractors have   
   acted like slum lords.   
      
   While the Pentagon has insisted there are channels for military   
   families to resolve “tenant issues,” some who testified said the   
   chain of command failed them.   
      
   Secretary of the Army Mark T. Esper and Chief of Staff of the   
   Army Gen. Mark A. Milley issued a statement saying they were   
   “deeply troubled” to learn about the conditions of some of the   
   homes.   
      
   “We are deeply troubled by the recent reports highlighting the   
   deficient conditions in some of our family housing. It is   
   unacceptable for our families, who sacrifice so much, to have to   
   endure these hardships in their own homes,” the statement read.   
   “We are fully committed to providing a safe and secure   
   environment on all of our installations. We have directed an   
   Inspector General investigation and have taken other actions.”   
      
   In last week’s survey, six private contractors were repeatedly   
   mentioned by the respondents. They included Lincoln, Balfour   
   Beatty, Hunt, Corvias, Winn and Michael's Military Housing.   
      
   CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP   
      
   Fox News reached out to the companies; all responded and vowed   
   to address the issues.   
      
   A Corvias spokesperson issued the following statement:   
   "Providing housing for our armed service members is a privilege   
   and Corvias is making changes necessary to mee the 'gold   
   standard' level of service both we and our residents expect."   
      
   https://www.foxnews.com/us/military-families-warn-of-unsafe-   
   housing-rats-toxic-mold-and-more   
          
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)