Brian Dosa, Fort Hood Directorate of Public Works director, explains the renovation stages of barracks at Fort Hood, Texas, during a visit by two civilian aides to the Secretary of the Army, Sept. 7.

FORT HOOD, Texas - During a visit here, Sept. 7, two civilian aides to the Secretary of the Army toured Fort Hood barracks in different stages of their renovation.

Retired Maj. Gen. Kendall Cox and retired Command Sgt. Maj. Edgar Fuentes, were taken on a tour of the post’s single Soldier housing by Brian Dosa, director of the Fort Hood Directorate of Public Works.

“Senior leadership here in Fort Hood, and across the Army for that matter, cares about the quality of life for our Soldiers,” said Cox. “This proves it by seeing the changes they’ve made in the barracks so that they have something that I would refer to as a quality space (for Soldiers) to call their own.”

In addition to touring renovations in progress, Dosa also took the CASAs to the future site of the post’s 100th barracks, which will be built for the 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade.

Dosa said most of the barracks on Fort Hood were built in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s. Renovating them, he said, is more cost-effective than building new ones. Of Fort Hood’s 99 barracks, 24 are currently under renovation, or programmed for renovation.

Kendall Cox and Edgar Fuentes, both civilian aides to the Secretary of the Army, view the heating and cooling room of a barracks under renovation at Fort Hood, Texas, Sept. 7.

“In the last 10 years, 63 barracks of the current 99 barracks have been renovated,” he said, pointing to barracks while driving down Legends Way. “(There are) … 14 currently under remodel and 10 more programmed for the next few years.”

For the Soldiers moving into newly-renovated barracks now, it means improving their quality of life. The renovated facilities offer new furniture and appliances, and are configured to the Army’s “One-Plus-One” standard, meaning each suite has two private bedrooms with a shared bathroom and kitchen area.

In addition, renovated barracks feature common areas for recreation and relaxation, laundry facilities and additional storage space. The renovated barracks are a significant upgrade from the old ones, which were cramped and sometimes in disrepair. The improved quality of life that the barracks offer will be a welcome change for the troops stationed there.

“Compared to (Building) 10004 (the former barracks for 1st Calvary Division Artillery), the new barracks are paradise,” Pfc. Bruce Sias, the barracks manager for the 6th Battalion, 56th Air Defense Artillery Regiment.

Sias said being able to impact current and future Soldiers is why he joined.

“That’s why I enlisted,” he said, “to help out other Soldiers and make sure they get what they need.”

Over the last 10 years, more than $681 million has been spent on barracks renovation. By next fall, seven more barrackss currently under renovation will be completed, with the newest, and 100th barracks under construction, finishing up shortly thereafter.