The Army made “significant improvements” in barracks and housing though the “inventory of facilities in poor or failing condition grew from 22 to 25 percent this past year,” Lt. Gen. Gwen Bingham, assistant chief of staff for installation management, told Congress.

Testifying before the House Appropriations subcommittee responsible for military construction and installations, Bingham said the news is mostly good. “We have made significant improvements in our barracks and housing investments. Specifically, we have improved the quality of our training and permanent-party barracks by 14 percent and 5 percent, respectively, since 2014. Further, we are on glide path to improve 90 percent of our overall Army-owned housing inventory to good or adequate quality by the end of fiscal year 2020.”

For 2019, the Army has requested $2 billion for construction and $4.7 billion for sustainment, restoration and modernization, she said. One of the biggest projects is $99 million for a cyber instructional facility at Fort Gordon, Ga.

“The Army is methodically increasing its facility sustainment levels and focusing its infrastructure investment on readiness priorities to support power projection, mobilization and the warfighter,” she said. “Predictable, adequate, sustained and timely funding allows the Army to maintain its critical infrastructure and to support soldiers, civilians and families.”