KRDO13 Investigates: Hundreds of soldiers battle heat in Fort Carson barracks, some sleeping in their cars
FORT CARSON, Colo. (KRDO) - For weeks, at least four barracks on Fort Carson have been experiencing issues with air conditioning, with at least one soldier telling KRDO13 Investigates they have resorted to sleeping in their car.
"It's ridiculous that it's come down to sleeping in the parking lot," they said. "It's physically impossible to try to sleep in your room with those temperatures. Everyone wants to be comfortable in their own home and you get back and it's the most uncomfortable place you can be."
Several soldiers spoke with KRDO13 Investigates, under the condition of anonymity for fear of facing discipline, saying that the conditions are affecting their sleep and morale.
Pictures of thermostats shared with KRDO13 Investigates showed temperatures soaring into the 80s, or even 90s, inside the barracks.
"I sweat going to sleep, sweat waking up, sweat getting changed," one soldier said. "Go to work. Sweat. I'm back. Sweat. Go to the gym. Sweat. It's a vicious cycle."
After being deployed and working in tough conditions, the bare minimum, they say, is not having to toss and turn all night from being so hot.
"In the field and deployment, we expect these conditions to be worse," a soldier said. "That's what we're trained for. So coming home for a little bit, we should be given the basic necessities."
Several soldiers say they are only getting three to four hours of sleep a night, which they say creates dangerous conditions for them to fulfill their usual duties.
"The majority of our soldiers, they drive military vehicles that you need to be awake for," a soldier said. "You shoot weapons; you need to be awake for that, so there are dangers that come with a soldier who only got two hours of sleep because it's 90 degrees in his room."
KRDO13 Investigates reached out to the installation about these issues. A Fort Carson official says they're taking the concerns seriously and released the following statement:
Fort Carson’s leadership and the Directorate of Public Works are aware of ongoing A/C issues affecting four of the installation’s barracks buildings and are committed to engaging with Soldiers, leadership and contractors in order to develop both short-term and long-term solutions. The largest hurdle remains the barracks HVAC infrastructure’s age, which has slowed the ability to acquire and replace parts for the chiller systems in a timely manner. These repairs require entire systems to be drained and replaced or recharged, a process that unfortunately takes significant time and resources, but will remain a priority of leadership until completion.
We hear our Soldiers. We understand their frustration and are committed to rectifying all barracks A/C issues. At this moment, portable chiller units have been delivered to provide temporary cooling abilities while long-term solutions, such as the replacement of parts or systems, are in motion. We expect all repairs to be completed no later than Friday, if not earlier.
At least one soldier tells KRDO13 Investigates that the portable chiller is working for their barracks, reporting their room was back down to regular temperatures today. Other soldiers say they are still waiting.
If you have information you believe the public needs to know, KRDO13 Investigates wants to hear from you. Tips can be submitted by emailing 13Investigates@krdo.com.
Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.
