JBSA investigates reports of moldy dorms at Lackland

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) – The commander of Joint Base San Antonio has launched an investigation into reports of mold in dorms at Lackland.

A post on the unofficial Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook Page shows photos of mold on the ceiling, a wall, pillow, shoes and a uniform. It states that the individual living in the dorm complained about having a cough and feeling sick until moving out.

“Someone’s dorm had mold so bad, all over the walls and black mold,” the Facebook post states. “This is but one story out of many.”

The Air Force Times reports that Brig. Gen. Laura Lenderman, commander of JBSA and the 502nd Air Base Wing, has ordered an investigation.

“We hear the concerns of our community and are immediately assessing the situation,” Lenderman said. “By assessing issues on the ground level, we can develop solutions and promptly apply them,” the statement says.

According to the Air Force Times, Gen. Lenderman noted that the infrastructure at the Lackland dorms is aging, which presents a problem.

“We take the health and well-being of our residents seriously and want trust between leadership and residents to be constant,” Lenderman said in her statement. “I’m committed to ensuring all military housing and dorms are safe and well-maintained.”

Reports of mold in military housing may not be new to some families in San Antonio.

About a year ago, a man who grew up in a military family spoke at his mother’s funeral about how much he appreciated all of the things she did to keep the family well-fed, safe and healthy. I was at that funeral when he said that while his father was stationed overseas and the family lived in military housing, his mother would constantly mop the ceiling with bleach to get rid of the mold that kept growing.

That was decades ago. He was but a child at the time, and he thought all families lived that way. It wasn’t until he got older that he realized that wasn’t the case.