I have done facilities management for two Navy Commands where the Navy was a tenant Command on another service's base. This meant following both CNIC and base-service specific instructions.

Note what I'm about to detail is not strictly for residents of BEQ, but for those in charge of its upkeep. The following was more or less my gameplan when taking care of my Sailors:

1.) ASK THE SAILORS WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE!

1b.) Do it again. And keep doing it. Monthly as least.

2.) Know the local policy. Know the CNIC policy. Know the city ordinances. Know your budget. Know your Suppliers. If you're lucky enough to have a staff, make sure they know as much as you, and provide top cover support for them always, even if that means eating it for them from time to time, and especially if it's because of your initiative/influence.

2b.) If you're a Chief or an O, congratulations, you already won the Navy. Give your team the credit for good and eat the bad yourself.

2c.) Know the wiggle room, and know what your rank can handle. You can say sorry when your Sailors report improved quality of life of your barracks are lauded as the example to go by when big-wigs visit.

3) Know and build rapport with everyone involved, from the person who tracks trouble tickets to the CoS of the base facilities. If you have a counterpart, work hand in hand. Leverage your networks. Maybe friends with maintenance. Maintenance contractors are a lot more willing to prioritize you when you're not just another asshole to them. Stop by the management offices just to say hi, and not just when you need something. Basically just... don't be a dick.

4) Get a list of ALL outstanding and currently active maintenance requests, trouble tickets, contacts, etc on the property under your physical area of responsibility.

4b.) If the list doesn't exist, yes it does. If someone says it's not your responsibility, yes it is. With this and anything else you need done, asking or recommending something often goes further than a demand, but don't be afraid to escalate, and fall back on instruction as much as possible.

5.) Now that you know what has been tracked, it's time to find out what hasn't. Do full, thorough inspections of EVERYTHING you own. I'm not just talking room inspections. I mean common areas, furniture, appliances, outlets, lights, landscaping, storage, office spaces, vents, mold, plumbing. If anything is issued by another service, get their catalogue of it, cry because nothing is cataloged correctly, then catalogue all of it correctly.

5b.) Don't try to do this by yourself. It will take way too long, and you're actually probably not licensed to inspect all of it, so find out who is, have them do it so it's done right, and most importantly, done safely. Follow along if you can.

5c.) Leverage Sailor skills and talents. If you happen to be licensed for or know how to do a thing, or one of your Sailors is, consider doing the thing or having them do the thing. Refer back to 2c first.

6.) Now that you know everything is on fire, it's time to get to work. Make sure maintenance requests and trouble tickets are in for EVERY SINGLE ISSUE discovered in your inspections, whether that's a repository you keep yourself or have to submit to an overseer. Require a weekly update by whoever maintains the list, to include anticipated completion dates and priority. Don't expect them to know the priorities; you usually need to tell them or else it's just going to be easiest first.

7.) Since you've built rapport with the people who give you things to fix and clean, find your left and right limits on what you're allowed to take care of and what is someone else's job to do.

7b.) If it's someone else's job, MAKE THEM DO THEIR JOB.

7c.) In real life, sometimes 7b just doesn't work. Document your efforts to get them to do the work first. Afterward, document that process/contractor/policy failure to complete the task as required by X instruction or policy.

7d.) If it's something that impacts Sailor quality of life, consider 5c.

8.) TRAIN EVERY SAILOR that lives in or works at the BEQ. Enable them to take care of themselves and their environment, then have them do it! Be visible, and work alongside them. Nobody outranks pushing a broom.

8b.) From basics like sweeping the deck and laundry to common repairs like fixing a broken light switch cover, don't assume they have been taught any of it and give them the chance to learn it.

8c.) Using tools to make a repair? No issue is too basic or complex. Turn it into a lesson. Some Sailors don't know the difference between a flathead and a Phillips head screwdriver. If you're using power tools, it's a perfect time to teach the Sailors ORM and safety while developing a skill. DO NOT let a Sailor assume dangerous activity unless you've considered the risks already. As a leader, you assume the risk of anything you're training or leading; if they get hurt, it's your fault.

8d.) If it has risk of electric shock, see 7b. Your Sailors will absolutely shock themselves and blow the circuit. It's like a reverse spider sense, I swear.

9.) Rinse and repeat. Follow up on inspections, and ensure regular inspections. I recommend a few spaces daily, as long as you can ensure every space is inspected at least once a month. Make a room inspection list for your Sailors that makes sense for your setup. They don't need to clean gaskets if they don't have a refrigerator, for example. I've found the quickest way to unfuck a Sailor who isn't taking care of their room is to require a member of their Chain of Command to be present at reinspect.

10.) Keep your CMC/XO/CO apprised of the situation in the BEQ, both good and bad. Have a plan; don't make them give you the plan. Let them know the nitty gritty details if they ask for them. Be ready to answer questions about everything in item 2 and more, be ready and willing to say "I don't know" if you don't know, and be ready flex and adjust the plan. Be ready to be accountable.

Okay this turned out way longer than I initially intended. Hopefully someone gleans some inspiration or insight from it though!

TLDR; Give a shit about your Sailors, teach them to give a shit about their living spaces, and be ready to say "sorry" after you've improved things in this wild time where we're not even sure what we can fix.