Civilian Contractors on US Military Bases Compromise the Safety of Military Members and Their Families

Earlier today, a young Marine picked up his child from daycare and returned to his home. He placed his toddler on the living room floor and went into the bedroom to change out of his uniform. Just like a real-life horror flick, a civilian man with long brown hair jumped out of the closed and started slashing this Marine with a knife. The Marine was able kick him in the groin, sending the intruder back into the closet, giving him enough time to run out and grab his daughter. The intruder ran from the home and has yet to be found. Officials expect that he is now off-base.

This incident happened in a supposedly secure base housing area in Beaufort, SC. While the gates of Laurel Bay housing are guarded by military police officers, civilian contractors are allowed on base to mow the yards of all houses and others handle all construction and housing repairs. In fact, the Marines have nothing to do with this housing area other than guarding the gates and providing regular MP service.

Military housing areas are notorious for their safety. They are generally self-contained, with gas stations, small shopping areas, daycare facilities and DOD schools. Until recently, base housing was owned and run by the military. Military members and their families took care of their own yards and small repairs, but over the past few years, the government has been paying contractors to take care of all aspects of base housing.

I lived on this specific base for the first six months after returning from Japan, and the yard workers were the most troubling of all the contractors. The workers were unkempt, assuredly underpaid for repetitive work. Yes, I found these men to be creepy for lack of a better word but more importantly, I didn't appreciate strangers unaffiliated with the military hanging around my house where I kept my children during the day.