Overview

• The task force was ordered in an Oct. 6 memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to produce a departmentwide barracks investment plan and standards within 30 days.
• The effort is led by Assistant Secretary for Energy, Installations and Environment Dale Marks, who will set policies that elevate health metrics such as air and water quality.
• Hegseth’s directive says the group will explore acquisition and contracting approaches outside traditional service planning, signaling potential roles for private firms.
• New funding cited by Hegseth from the One Big Beautiful Bill includes $230 million for Marine Corps Barracks 2030, $425 million for boot camp barracks facilities, and $1 billion for unaccompanied housing sustainment and modernization.
• The push follows a 2023 GAO report documenting unsafe conditions like sewage overflow and inoperable fire systems, recent mold and infrastructure failures at multiple bases, and a reported $1 billion reallocation earlier this year to support border deployments.