Chalk Messages Drive Millers into Military Housing

 

by Pa Rock

Citizen Journalist

Being in the public spotlight is probably a heady experience when People Magazine or Rolling Stone is chasing you down for an interview, but the glamor fades when the neighbors are crawling around on the sidewalk in front of your house writing hateful messages about you in chalk.  That is one of multiple indignities that apparently befell Trump's brain wart, Stephen Miller, and his wife, Katie, causing the couple to place their very nice home in Arlington, Virginia, up for sale (a steal at only $3.5 million!) and moving into military housing behind guarded gates.

Stephen Miller, a civilian with no record of military service, is not the only government bureaucrat to seek safety and privacy within the confines of housing that was constructed at public expense for the express purpose of housing our military and their families.   Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is a veteran, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a non-veteran, have also move into military on-base housing, as have Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, a non-veteran, and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, a civilian government employee who is an Army veteran.

There appears to be at least two other Trump officials who are currently living in on-base seclusion, one is sharing quarters with Dan Driscoll, and the other is not apparently known to the press but is said to work with the Army.  Also, National Security Director Tulsi Gabbard, a war veteran with Hawaii's National Guard, was reportedly turned down for housing at Ft. McNair (a.k.a. "the Washington Arsenal") in Washington, DC.

Hegseth and Rubio, and their families, live on Ft. McNair in a housing area known as "General's Row," with large homes built especially for officers of General rank.  Hegseth's home, in fact, was specifically reserved for the Army Vice Chief of Staff.  The new person to serve in that office opted to remain at his old military base, so Hegseth grabbed the empty house for his own use.  He is reportedly paying $4,655.70 a month in rent, which is undoubtedly far cheaper than his house payments would have been if he had bought Stephen and Katie Miller's home!

Stephen and Katie also migrated to Ft. McNair, though it is unclear if they scored a house on "General's Row" or wound up in some "Colonel's Cul de Sac").   Kristi Noem is housed at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Southwest D.C., and I could find no reference as to where Tulsi Gabbard eventually landed.  All are reportedly paying "fair market" rent as determined by the military.

I've lived in military housing twice in my life, once as a young Army officer, and later as an old civilian codger employed by the military.  It's sturdy and practical, maintenance is top notch, and you can sleep soundly at night without worrying that chalk terrorists are writing mean tbings about you on the sidewalk and driveway of your temporary quarters. 

And to frost that cake, cabinet secretaries and presidential advisers who have been confirmed by the Senate are still getting paid during the government shutdown.  They have a safe place to sleep at night and money for groceries.  Bless their hearts!