Fort Carson seeking to improve after struggles with fluctuating food quality, quantity

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - In November of 2024, KRDO13 Investigates got complaints from soldiers about food quality on post at Fort Carson.

Photos surfaced of lima beans and toast, one anonymous soldier saying it was all they could get at a DFAC, or post cafeteria-style dining facility. Other photos surfaced of small bowls of pasta with a Gatorade being offered for dinner.

More of those complaints were well documented on an app called Hots & Cots. Started by an Army Veteran, the app provides a platform for soldiers from any military branch to report bad food or poor living conditions on posts around the globe.

"Fort Carson has struggled a lot in the past couple of months, I should say, since January," Rob Evans, the app's founder said. "There have been food insecurity issues, and that's within the dining facility and in the kiosks, as I've seen."

Complaints logged on the app are then verified and followed up on in Fort Carson. Thankfully, Evans says he's worked directly with leadership at Fort Carson to solve the problems reported.

"I've been able to work closely with their leadership over there to get these issues addressed, which is great," Evans said.

Those affected by low-quality food at DFACs, or cafeterias, are those of lower rank, who get about $400 a month taken out of their Basic Allowance for Subsistence, or BAS. It's a part of their compensation as military members. Those of a certain rank are also paid the least out of other military members, which means many can't afford a car to get groceries, or are forced to get a ride from a friend to eat out instead.

While some barracks on Fort Carson do have kitchens, some do not, and soldiers are left to fend for themselves and find a way to cook something in their barracks or eat out.

One high-ranking Fort Carson official spoke to KRDO13 Investigates on a condition of anonymity to protect their position at Fort Carson.

"It feels like we broke the promise to them, like they took an oath of enlistment to serve the country," They said, "There's an unwritten rule that you're going to get taken care of for giving your body, mind, and soul to this job."

KRDO13 Investigates asked Fort Carson officials about the budget. They declined an interview but told us that in total, the posts' soldiers pay out roughly $22 million a year to eat on post, while Fort Carson gets $5 million back from the Pentagon to feed soldiers.

KRDO13 investigates asked the Army branch of the Pentagon where that extra $17 million a year goes. We did not get an answer before our deadline, despite asking weeks in advance.

Fort Carson officials say their food budget is based on the utilization of post-dining facilities, not how many people pay to eat on post.

Based on the number of Fort Carson officials that gave 13 Investigates, we calculated that if every soldier who paid to eat on post did, Fort Carson would serve around 13,000 meals a day across three meals. Right now, Fort Carson says that they serve an average of 591 meals a day across three meals and numerous cafeterias.

Fort Carson also says they are taking steps to improve, including sending higher-ranking officials to eat at cafeterias and conducting surveys, among other things. The improvements are showing on Hots and Cots as well, with more positive reviews rolling in over the holidays for eating on post.

Pictures show larger portion sizes, more options, and hot and ready meals.

However, folks who are close to the situation aren't so easily convinced that the change will be sustained.

"I've been able to work closely with the leadership over there to get these issues addressed, which is great," Evans said. "But then, things will look better and will kind of fall apart again."