The Army’s top leaders faced tough questions from lawmakers on Wednesday about media reports that the Pentagon is shifting $1 billion away from repairing Army barracks to instead fund military operations along the southern border.
And if that happens, there will be fewer repairs and renovations to the soldiers’ living quarters next year, the Army’s top general told lawmakers on Wednesday.
A source with knowledge of the matter confirmed to Task & Purpose that defense officials are considering shifting money from maintaining barracks and other facilities to conducting operations on the southern border, but no final decision has been made.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George acknowledged during congressional testimony on Wednesday that the Army would make fewer renovations and repairs if such a shift in funding were made.
Politico Pro first reported last month that the Defense Department was considering moving about $1 billion from “Army facilities and sustainment funding” to pay for border operations. Military.com subsequently reported that the Pentagon had notified Congress that it planned to shift money for maintaining and renovating barracks to the border mission as part of a wider plan.
“The DOD plans to realign funds to support SWB [southwest border] operations,” a U.S. official told Task & Purpose. “Securing the border is among the President’s top priorities. Utilizing DoD funds to support the President’s top priorities underscores Secretary Hegseth’s commitment to spending every dollar wisely.”
During Wednesday’s House Armed Services Committee hearing on the Army’s budget, Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) got into a heated exchange with George on the matter.
“Will redirecting $1 billion impact the ability to do the renovations at the barracks — it’s just a yes or no answer,” Carbajal asked George.
“Obviously, redirecting has an impact,” George replied. “You have to make choices, congressman.”
“So, the answer’s yes,” Carbajal continued.
“If we took $1 billion out of barracks, we would be able to fix less barracks,” George said.
Also during Wednesday’s hearing, George said he thinks the Army is “overpaying” for some barracks and it could “probably spend our money better” on barracks.
George noted that the service had recently used 3-D printing to build barracks at Fort Bliss, Texas. He added that “every installation has different requirements.”
Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll told Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) that he would provide her with more information in response to lawmakers’ questions about whether money for barracks would be diverted to border operations.
“These issues matter deeply to us,” Driscoll said. “Gen. George is currently a soldier. I was. My daughter is named after a current soldier’s daughter. They live in Army and military housing. I care deeply about this population.”
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