ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

Better communication with the Army’s youngest soldiers has helped guide improvements in barracks life, the senior enlisted leader of Army Installation Management Command said.

The way barracks are designed and outfitted today is better than how they were built in the past because the Army includes input from soldiers. “We have effective communication now,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Copeland.

Efforts to improve quality of life for soldiers and their families begin with training management, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer said April 8 on Capitol Hill.

“The Army responds in times of crisis and is ready to fight and win when the nation calls,” Weimer testified before members of the House Appropriations subcommittee on military construction, veterans affairs and related agencies. “We are reinforcing the importance of leaders’ obligation to provide stable and predictable training management to give soldiers and their families time to plan against life's events.”

The Army has launched a ride-share pilot program across six installations to increase access for soldiers and families who live on post.

“This program demonstrates our commitment to addressing the challenges faced by our military communities,” Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said in an Army news release. “Through collaboration with the ride-share industry, we're able to provide our soldiers and their families with safe, reliable and convenient transportation options that support their unique needs and enhance their overall quality of life.”

Fort Bliss, Texas, is now home to the Department of Defense’s first 3D-printed barracks.

“We’re here today because many people dreamed of new ideas and said, ‘Why not?’ and that’s why we’re delivering this state-of-the-art facility to the Army today,” Lt. Gen. David Wilson, the Army’s deputy chief of staff of installations, G-9, said during the Jan. 29 ribbon-cutting ceremony.  

Just a few months after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced seven initiatives to enhance service member and family well-being, the department is making steady progress, defense leaders said.

Three 3D-printed barracks are set to open this summer at Fort Bliss, Texas, as part of a pilot program to improve soldiers’ quality of life while enhancing the resilience of Army installations.

The Army will “continuously refine” its planning and programming to tackle the service’s housing and facilities maintenance and upgrade needs, a senior Army leader told lawmakers.