The Marine Corps’ top priority in its fiscal 2025 budget wish list is fixing subpar barracks, with an additional $230 million sought for restoring and modernizing living facilities plagued by mold, vermin, broken furniture, and other deficiencies. The existing $274 million allocated for barracks restoration in the official budget request is aimed at renovating 13 barracks where 3,517 Marines reside, as per testimony by Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Carlos Ruiz.
The Marine Corps’ total unfunded priorities list amounts to nearly $2.4 billion, with the formal budget request including $53.7 billion for various purposes. The branch aims to signal how additional funds would be spent and hopes to secure extra funding from lawmakers. However, the defense budget is capped due to Fiscal Responsibility Act spending limits.
Marine leaders emphasize the importance of fixing barracks, which they view as crucial for retaining experienced Marines essential for future wars. The Marine Corps’ Barracks 2030 plan includes various strategies to improve living conditions. Despite a backlog of deferred maintenance exceeding $15.8 billion, the service’s formal budget request includes $274 million for barracks restoration.
Other priorities on the Marine Corps’ fiscal 2025 wish list include modernization efforts related to the Force Design initiative, such as developing new communications tools, accelerating vehicle procurement, and purchasing more bombs. Specific requests include funding for the autonomous low-profile vessel, amphibious combat vehicle 30 mm cannon variant, and CH-53K heavy-lift helicopters. Additional items aim to upgrade systems important for Force Design, like the Medium Range Intercept Capability and the Common Aviation Command and Control System (CAC2S).
