American war hero details dire living conditions US troops face as Hegseth taps him to ‘fix’ it

Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer says many US military barracks are in poor condition, with some troops lacking hot water and others sleeping in cars to escape buildings without air conditioning. Appointed by War Secretary Pete Hegseth to help fix the problem, Meyer says the task force must have authority to direct repairs and funding, rather than simply document the conditions.

Meyer has visited more than eight installations across the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, and plans to visit 30 by year’s end. A 2023 Government Accountability Office review found serious health and safety risks and gaps in the Pentagon’s information and oversight; 12 of its 31 recommendations were still outstanding this year. Meyer cites deferred maintenance, funding uncertainty and bureaucracy, while a separate watchdog review put the broader facilities maintenance backlog at $285 billion.