NAPLES, Italy — A Navy barracks building on Capodichino will close three months earlier than expected. But at least troops’ moving expenses will be paid for.
The building, called BEQ (bachelor-enlisted quarters) 1, had been scheduled to close by the end of September. But officials, offering no explanation, said Thursday that the building will now close by June 30.
The closure means about 80 junior enlisted troops have to move off base. Officially, bachelor housing was only supposed to be provided for servicemembers E-3 or below.
Base officials said E-4s with less than four years of service will still be allowed to remain in base barracks, but must move to another building on Capodichino or the support site in Gricignano.
When residents were initially informed of the closing of BEQ 1 last month, officials said there was no funding for the local personal property office to arrange the pack out and delivery of household goods for those moving off base. That, too, has changed.
"All of the moves will be funded by the government and those service members moving off base are entitled to loaner furniture through the Single Sailor Loaner Furniture Program," said Sandy Randolph, NSA Naples housing director.
Lt. Paul Macapagal, a spokesman for the NSA Naples, said he did not know why the closing date was moved up.
The closure of BEQ 1 is part of a region-wide effort to reduce excess housing inventory throughout Navy bases in Europe.
In order to boost occupancy rates in government housing, the base recently began enforcing a mandatory assignments policy for military families arriving in Naples. The closure of the barracks building on Capodichino will also decrease the vacancy rate in bachelor housing.
The occupancy rate in the newer barracks building on Capodichino is at 92 percent. The barracks on the support site in Gricignano, though, are only 79 percent full. The target occupancy rate for government housing is 99 percent.
