My friend Dan Caldwell, writing with Darin Selnick, has an important op-ed in the New York Times on substantial ways for the Trump administration to improve the lives of those in our armed services, including their health care and housing. I was actually shocked to read some of the basic problems our service members face:

Military housing is also in disarray. In October 2024, the Government Accountability Office found that persistent housing shortfalls for military families in some areas threaten overall quality of life and financial stability for service members and could lead to “negative effects on performance and mission, especially for lower ranked, junior personnel.” Other facilities and services designed to support military families — in particular day care centers on military bases — are increasingly strained as well.

The Navy secretary John Phelan was apparently shocked after touring barracks for sailors and Marines in Guam in May. The barracks were plagued with mold, exposed electrical wiring and damaged plumbing, which made the building practically unlivable. That situation is unfortunately not unique; the Marine Corps alone reportedly estimated it will need $1.5 billion a year over the next decade to bring its barracks around the world up to standard.

The op-ed details how money appropriated for improving things for our people has often been diverted to other projects with stronger lobbyists behind them. Read the whole thing.