Bipartisan inquiry into military housing at Fort Gordon, other bases launched

Concerned about ongoing reports of on-base housing issues, such as mold, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators sent a letter last week to inquire about new oversight of privatized military housing.

The letter from U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff, D-GA, Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, both R-FL, follows a report from the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General that the department lacked information about potential health hazards in privatized housing on post.

“Due to this lack of information, the military services were unable to consistently track housing conditions that may have led to asthma, lead poisoning, cancers, and other adverse conditions among service members and their families,” read the letter.

More:After complaints, Fort Gordon to inspect all housing; other installations to follow

Also:Soldier, others testify of "alarming" conditions of Fort Gordon housing in Ossoff-led hearing

Ongoing issue:Mold, roots in toilet among issues Fort Gordon resident faced in on-base housing

The senators asked for information on the implementation of a new tracking system, and for how the Department of Defense will collect information on past residents.

The inquiry follows a bipartisan investigation led by Ossoff as chair of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which resulted in a probe by the U.S. Army into housing conditions at Fort Gordon and a commitment by the Army to do a unit-by-unit inspection of privatized on base housing.

Local news outlets in Augusta, including the Chronicle, have reported for years on issues in the privatized housing at Fort Gordon, including mold and other health hazards.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Military needs more information on private housing, senators say