US Military Faces $285B Maintenance Backlog as Funding Falls Short

By Staff, Agencies

The US military is facing an estimated $285 billion maintenance backlog after the Department of War repeatedly requested less funding than its own models indicate is needed to maintain military installations, according to a Government Accountability Office [GAO] report cited by Military Times.

The backlog reached $285 billion in fiscal 2025, with the military services seeking funding for only about 80% of identified maintenance needs, below the Pentagon’s broader 90% target.

The GAO warned that the shortfall could undermine military missions and service members’ quality of life, while noting that the War Department has yet to fully assess the risks.

The gap stems partly from continued underfunding despite the Facilities Sustainment Model, which estimates annual maintenance requirements based on factors including facility size and location.

The Army, Navy, and Air Force requested roughly 80% of their estimated needs between fiscal years 2017 and 2020, while Marine Corps requests fell from about 80% to 40% over the past five fiscal years as resources were redirected toward restoration and modernization.

Meanwhile, poor military housing remains a longstanding concern. Previous GAO investigations found chronic neglect of barracks, with thousands of service members left in substandard conditions and some facilities posing serious health and safety risks.

As of April 2026, the Department of War had addressed 19 of 31 recommendations from a 2023 report, with several still outstanding.

Beyond funding, the GAO identified persistent shortages of workers responsible for facility maintenance, particularly at remote installations. Competition with private employers and federal hiring and compensation policies have further complicated recruitment and retention.

The watchdog also raised concerns over the reliability of maintenance data, saying limitations in work-order systems make it difficult to determine how effectively repairs are being carried out across the military services.

The GAO issued 13 recommendations calling for stronger oversight, better assessment of risks created by funding shortfalls, and more reliable maintenance data. The War Department fully or partially agreed with 12 and rejected one.