Who should I go to for this Air Force housing problem?

Question

I live in Air Force dorms on an active duty Air Force base. The dorm building itself is at least twenty years old and is now falling in on itself. The pipes are all leaking through the ceilings and making them cave in and the black mold all over the building is now getting people sick and giving them infections. The bugs that are in the building are awful.

I'm active duty Air Force and this is the only choice I have for a place to live. They won't give me money to live off base until Sept. of 2009 (my 3 year mark). I am in no way comparing this to the conditions of the soldiers overseas fighting in the desert. Yes, I know they live in un-airconditioned tents and see camel spiders daily, but where I am living is my house for at least three years.

Is a law suit something that myself or others could take into consideration seeing that we are getting sick due to the mold? Who should be taking this matter into their hands? Anybody here that is current/prior Air Force, especially civil engineering would be a great help here. I'm security forces. Please help. Thanks!

Answer 1

security forces has the crappiest dorms.... talk to the shirt

Answer 2

You have to talk to Oprah Winfrey

Answer 3

I suggest you contact your Chain of Command and your Congressmen! Because you are the service member, you are unable to sue the Air Force.  Unfortunately, the US Military is virtually immune from suit by Active Duty personnel for any damages, regardless of the cause or the element of fault. This has been upheld numerous times by the courts, including the highest court of our country, the Supreme Court. Precedent such as this is unlikely to be overturned.  

If that doesn't work, you could always get your dad to release a video on youtube of the damage like was done before. I bet those guys are in nice quarters now!

Answer 4

To follow the other ones leads. Use your chain of command. If you use your chain of command you can't get in trouble for raising an issue. The trick is to document, document, document. If you have a good first sergeant they should work for you. Does your base have an airman's council? I don't recommend suing. That won't help anyone. Maybe ask your first sergeant if the base public health office can do a survey of the conditions. Only after you feel you have exhausted all avenues on base, I would call your congressman's office.

Answer 5

Chain of command if you are prepared to be called a whiner or congressman if you want to call anonymously. They are in the process of renovating many barracks within the military but the cost of the wars have been pulling money from other projects if they aren't already in the pipeline to be worked on.  

Answer 6

Who are you supposed to call on base for minor repairs? That might be a place to start. Maybe you and some of the other residents could get permission to clean it up and make repairs yourselves. Yes, I know it isn't your problem, but you do have to live there for the next three years...

Have you thought of sending some pictures to your Senator or Congressman from home, or better yet sending pictures to your family and letting them ask why their son is living like that while serving our country?

Sadly, you probably don't want to complain directly if someone on base can't help you. Being a squeaky wheel while in the military can make for a really long tour.

Good luck!

Answer 7

Take up with your chain of command first of all.  If they start with that AFI bullcrap about your rank or time in service take it to your base IG office, they should have an open door policy about anything.  If all that fails, take a few pics and give them to a local new organization, nothing sets a fire under the asses of the brasses like bad publicity ;)