Military Base Responds After Allegedly Poor Shower Conditions Shared Online

A military base has responded after photos on social media claimed to show poor shower conditions at one of their sites.

Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA), a military based in Texas, told Military.com it was “addressing the state of the showers” in Camp Bullis after an image posted on Reddit showed the shower with stained floors and yellowing water. Bullis is a training site long used by the base, preceding World War I.

“Camp Bullis is an aging training facility in which several military units transient for various exercises and operations,” a JBSA spokesperson told Military.com on Thursday. “The units utilizing these facilities are strictly responsible for maintaining them during their stay, which includes cleaning the facility prior to their departure.

“Our civil engineers inspected the showers and determined that the last unit to occupy the facility did not maintain it as required. Visually, the condition of the shower is further worsened by its age.”

The viral post in question was posted in the Air Force section, or subreddit, of the Reddit social media platform that has millions of users worldwide. The post, titled “Camp Bullis showers are nasty,” wondered whether the showers were “spoiled.”

Those responding to the post shared their own past histories at allegedly similar compounds, including Lackland Air Base and Fort Bragg, mentioning how Camp Bullis—which provides base operations support and training support to Joint Base San Antonio—was constructed roughly 120 years ago.

Military.com reached out to the user who posted the image but received no response by press time.

“Joint Base San Antonio leadership is aware of the photo, and are actively addressing the state of the showers at Camp Bullis,” a JBSA spokesperson added. The location of the base plays a role, they argue.

“San Antonio’s hard mineral-rich water, which stains over time, high humidity, and intense heat can rapidly accelerate buildup,” they said. “JBSA officials have since addressed the immediate cleanliness of this shower.

“We expect all visiting units to enforce basic hygiene and facility maintenance standards, and JBSA leadership is currently evaluating options to improve oversight and ensure clean handovers between rotating units.”

Health and Safety

Health and safety conditions and living standards for those serving in the military are of concern to the government.

Governments have a duty of care over the service members they house as exposure to poor conditions can lead to depleted physical and mental health outcomes, as well as reduced morale and retention. It can also dissuade people from joining the military.

Nevertheless, there have been other previous incidents in which military housing has left a lot to be desired.

In July, the San Antonio Express-News reported that over 5,000 enlisted medical students at Joint Base San-Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, another part of JBSA, are to be moved to temporary housing because of construction failures in their barracks.

In May 2023, Joint Base San Antonio temporarily shut down because officials found Legionella at the base.

In January 2024, images of a Marine Corps facility in California appeared to show dead vermin, flooded washers and apparent mold. The service made changes to improve the quality of life for Marines living in the facility, according to documents seen by Military.com at the time.

Currently, naval families have reportedly said there are safety concerns, food shortages and water contamination aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, amid reports of a mental health crisis on the ship which is involved in the U.S.’s war against Iran.