Fort Hood Army dining facility closed indefinitely after cockroach infestation video goes viral

Published Jul 27, 05:05 PM UTC

A viral video showing a severe cockroach infestation at the Operation Iraqi Freedom dining facility on Fort Hood, Texas, has prompted the Army to close the facility indefinitely. The video, posted anonymously on the U.S. Army W.T.F. moments social media account, depicts roaches swarming kitchen equipment and a food safety cutting board guide. Lt. Col. Joey Payton, director of public affairs for III Armored Corps, confirmed the closure and stated that the Army is investigating the cause of the infestation. Food trucks have been deployed to serve soldiers with meal cards, many of whom are junior enlisted personnel living in barracks with automatic pay deductions for meals. The incident follows years of complaints about dining facility conditions at the base, including a 2024 issue where soldiers were charged for meals despite religious dietary accommodations not being met. Fort Hood currently hosts nearly 40,000 soldiers.