Soldiers stationed in Germany have mold problems

Families fear the return of irritating black mold
Army says it hasn’t heard problem is back
By Seth Robson, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Thursday, March 20, 2008

GRAFENWÖHR, Germany — It’s almost spring, and for many people that means time for some spring cleaning.

Spring in Germany means lots of moisture, which not only brings beautiful flowers, but also helps nasty black mold to form.

Outdoors, molds live in the soil and plants. Indoors, molds will often grow in damp or wet areas, including basement walls, bathroom tiles and sinks. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, mold can lead to a variety of health problems, such as headaches, breathing difficulties, skin irritation and aggravation of asthma symptoms.

Last year, the Army had to eradicate mold problems at the off-post military housing area in Kaltenbrunn after an inspection found mold growing in bathrooms and attics of at least 10 homes.

Now, some soldiers and family members living in the housing area say the mold has returned, although the Army says it’s unaware of any problems.

Staff Sgt. Frederick Rowell of the 2nd Cavalry (Stryker) Regiment blames the mold problems for the allergies experienced by his family.

When he first complained to the Army about the mold last summer, workers did remediation work that involved covering up the mold rather than solving the problem, Rowell said.

“I think the contractors did an excellent job on some houses, but at my house there was mold in the concrete and they just covered it up,” he said.

The 29-year-old Pensacola, Fla., native — who said he suffers from traumatic brain injury sustained in a roadside bomb blast — said he raised the issue with the Vilseck Warrior Transition Unit last month. A week later the Army found him a house at the new off-post military housing area at Netzaberg, he said.
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