Some US Troops to Do More Cleaning as Contracts Cut

[The Bread Guy]

This from Stars & Stripes:

Soldiers will be spending less time honing combat skills and more time scrubbing toilets and mopping hallways after Installation Management Command-Europe recently made cuts to its cleaning contracts.

Until now, local civilian contractors had provided services such as taking out trash, sweeping offices, mopping hallways and cleaning bathrooms at most buildings on Army bases in Europe. But IMCOM-Europe has started a new policy that eliminates cleaning services for office buildings that are occupied by units below a brigade level and reduces contracts for other buildings in a move officials say they hope will save $2 million annually.

Some soldiers say the cleaners will be missed.

“I think it’s better to have the cleaners, so the soldiers can focus on deployment and training,” said Staff Sgt. David Schwartz with the 557th Medical Company in Wiesbaden. “The soldiers need to be focused on training, and I gotta send them to clean the bathrooms. Sometimes it’s a morale killer.”

U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden had 29 cleaning contracts completely cut, most of them on the airfield.

“Cleaning is part of everyone’s life. However, there are more important things we can do,” said Spc. Ciara Hayes-Kelly with the Wiesbaden Soldier Medical Readiness Center....

 

[OldSolduer]

Interesting.

 

[jollyjacktar]

Cleaning stations.  A necessary evil, but something the troops will love to hate.  I am sure they could find cost reductions elsewhere if they look hard enough. 

 

[OldSolduer]

I'm wondering when some bright spark in NDHQ decides that this is a good idea.

 

[Haggis]

I'm wondering when some bright spark in NDHQ decides that this is a good idea.

In my opinion it IS a good idea.  "Back in the day" when the tropps did cleaning stations or station jobs, they had more respect for the infrastructure and accomodations provided to them.  There were less barracks damages and less illnesses in the shacks.  Troops took responsibility for their living spaces more seriously.

 

[OldSolduer]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against the idea.

 

[dapaterson]

In NDHQ there`s no garbage collection in offices or cubicles - folsk have to bring their own waste and recyclables (other than paper) to the garbage and recycling stations themselves.


Interestingly enough, some of the Area HQs still do have garbage collection for the staff...

 

[X Royal]

  "Back in the day" when the tropps did cleaning stations or station jobs, they had more respect for the infrastructure and accomodations provided to them.  There were less barracks damages and less illnesses in the shacks.  Troops took responsibility for their living spaces more seriously.

And you remember this other than on course?
When I got to 1 RCR in the spring of 79 there was no such a thing as cleaning stations. Yes during Basic & TQ 3 but not in the battalion.
Civi cleaners in the shacks.

 

[PMedMoe]

And you remember this other than on course?
When I got to 1 RCR in the spring of 79 there was no such a thing as cleaning stations. Yes during Basic & TQ 3 but not in the battalion.
Civi cleaners in the shacks.

When I first got to 2 Fd Amb in 1996, we had to clean at our unit lines as the civilian cleaners would not enter the building due to its being "condemned".  :

 

[jollyjacktar]

When I was in the field section of 1MPPL in the early 90's we did plenty of cleaning stations.  So much so at times if was said that the proper name for the unit was 1 Mop and Pail PL. 

Navy wise, I don't mind the thought of cleaning stations as you need to have a clean living enviornment and if I help to make it dirty, I can help to clean it.  My objection was to lower deckers doing the Chief/PO's heads/mess etc.  Their space, they should clean it.

 

[tomahawk6]

In the old days before military jobs were civilianized troops did the work AND were able to train. Civilian workers in the dining facilities back in the 70's were the extent of it. I never did miss KP. The bottom line the troops were/are cheap labor. I do echo the comment above about the troops taking pride in their barracks when they are required to clean the latrines,waxing/buffing floors and that old favorite police call to pick up the butts off the ground.

 

[Haggis]

And you remember this other than on course?
When I got to 1 RCR in the spring of 79 there was no such a thing as cleaning stations. Yes during Basic & TQ 3 but not in the battalion.
Civi cleaners in the shacks.

It was common in Pet until early 1981.  Then, IIRC, it suddenly stopped (new FY maybe?).  Now it's rarely done, even on course.  Yes, candidates maintain their rooms but contractors do the common areas.

 

[OldSolduer]

In the old days before military jobs were civilianized troops did the work AND were able to train. Civilian workers in the dining facilities back in the 70's were the extent of it. I never did miss KP. The bottom line the troops were/are cheap labor. I do echo the comment above about the troops taking pride in their barracks when they are required to clean the latrines,waxing/buffing floors and that old favorite police call to pick up the butts off the ground.

Try to get soldiers to clean these days. They will do it for sure.

NOW the civilian cleaners that lose their jobs would be another matter. Are they members of UNDE?

 

[Michael OLeary]

NOW the civilian cleaners that lose their jobs would be another matter. Are they members of UNDE?

More likely Atco/Frontec, Black & MacDonald, etc.

 

[Haggis]

On my last "formal" course, CQC, we were expressly told not to even clean our rooms.  Even those of us who made our beds found them re-made upon our return.

My, how times have changed!

 

[LineDoggie]

When I was a Joe at Ft. Hood, TX from 1982 to 1984 we swept, mopped, waxed(with both G.I and Johnsons Paste) the Common Areas and our rooms M-F. Those on extra duty from UCMJ punishment handled the Common Areas on weekends. We didnt have KP in Garrision though, that was mainly Civvie dependents. KP was strictly in the field and involved dumping unopened C-rats into cauldrons to heat them before handing them out, and the odd Hot A or B meal.

 

[OldSolduer]

On my last "formal" course, CQC, we were expressly told not to even clean our rooms.  Even those of us who made our beds found them re-made upon our return.

My, how times have changed!

Same here.
The college at St Jean is a civilian run campus though.