Military families sacrifice everything for this country.
They deal with deployments, moves, and separation from loved ones.
But military families got hit with one order that exposed a sick truth about who really runs the show.
Military families at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida woke up to an email titled "One Holiday at a Time" that should make every American's blood boil.¹
The private housing company that manages their homes just ordered them to tear down their Christmas decorations – in early November.
And military families just discovered they have zero say in when they can celebrate Christmas in their own homes.
Corporate landlord with fraud conviction plays Grinch
Balfour Beatty Communities sent the message to families living in base housing telling them Christmas decorations "have already begun to appear within the community."²
The company informed families that "all holiday decorations should be reflective of their respective months and not any sooner than 30 days before the given holiday."³
Translation: no Christmas lights, no wreaths, no holiday cheer until Balfour Beatty says so.
Air Force families who wanted to spread some early holiday joy for their kids were ordered to "remove it and reinstall it in accordance with your community guidelines."⁴
These are the families of the men and women who defend our freedom.
And some corporate housing company is telling them when they're allowed to celebrate Christmas.
The company claims the 30-day rule is "common practice across rental communities and homeowners' associations" to keep neighborhoods "neat, consistent, and enjoyable for all residents."⁵
But here's what Balfour Beatty doesn't want you to know.
Company convicted of fraud keeps controlling military families
This isn't some random housing company enforcing neighborhood rules.
Balfour Beatty Communities pleaded guilty in December 2021 to major fraud against the United States military.⁶
The company admitted to falsifying maintenance records for years to pocket millions in performance bonuses while subjecting military families to toxic mold, water leaks, insect infestations, and burst pipes.⁷
The Department of Justice forced Balfour Beatty to pay more than $65 million in criminal fines and restitution.⁸
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said the fraud was "a consequence of BBC's broken corporate culture, which valued profit over the welfare of service members."⁹
That was less than four years ago.
Now the same company is policing when military families can hang Christmas lights.
Senate found ongoing mistreatment of military families
A 2022 Senate investigation found Balfour Beatty's problems didn't stop after the fraud conviction.¹⁰
The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations documented "ongoing management failures" including exposure to toxic mold, lead paint, and asbestos.¹¹
Military families testified about calling for help with serious problems and getting ignored for months by Balfour Beatty staff.¹²
One Army officer described how mold in his Balfour Beatty home caused his 10-year-old daughter to develop a potentially fatal mold allergy.¹³
In April 2025, 44 military families at Naval Air Station Key West filed a federal lawsuit alleging Balfour Beatty "concealed horrific conditions" including collapsing ceilings, mold, structural defects, and the presence of lead paint and asbestos.¹⁴
The company that can't fix dangerous mold problems has plenty of time to patrol neighborhoods looking for early Christmas decorations.
When the Christmas decoration order hit an unofficial Air Force Facebook page, troops and veterans let Balfour Beatty have it.
"The Grinch is running housing at Tyndall?" one person wrote.¹⁵
Another said "it's wild they have it in writing."¹⁶
Military families started looking for loopholes in the restriction.
"It doesn't say we can't display decorations," one noted. "It just says we can't light them up."¹⁷
Troops pointed out the absurdity of a company convicted of defrauding the military now enforcing petty rules about holiday decorations.
One military spouse said "that's nuts" and noted that at Fort Hood "my outdoor décor went up November 1st and half our street followed suit."¹⁸
Some joked about sending Balfour Beatty "a ton of Christmas cards" with "extra glitter."¹⁹
The real scandal Washington won't touch
Here's what should infuriate every American about this situation.
Congress created the Military Housing Privatization Initiative to improve housing for military families.
Instead, it handed control of military housing to companies like Balfour Beatty that value profits over people who serve our country.
Even after a $65 million fraud conviction, even after Senate investigations, even after lawsuits from dozens of military families – Balfour Beatty still manages 43,000 homes on 55 military bases.²⁰
The company still collects performance bonuses.
And military families have no choice but to rent from them.
When you're stationed at a base, you either live in privatized housing or find off-base housing on your own dime.
For many military families struggling with high cost, base housing is the only affordable option.
That gives companies like Balfour Beatty total control.
A Trump Administration focused on putting America First should be asking why a company convicted of defrauding our military is still managing military housing.
These families serve our country.
They shouldn't have to ask permission from a corporate landlord to hang Christmas lights in November.
¹ Richard Pollina, "Florida military families told to take down early Christmas decorations to comply with base standards," New York Post, November 10, 2025.
² Jeff Schogol, "Air Force families at Florida base told to take down Christmas decorations in privatized housing," Task & Purpose, November 7, 2025.
³ Ibid.
⁴ Ibid.
⁵ Ibid.
⁶ Haley Britzky, "Military housing company to pay $65 million fine after years of 'pervasive fraud,'" Task & Purpose, December 23, 2021.
⁷ Ibid.
⁸ Ibid.
⁹ Ibid.
¹⁰ Andrew Eversden, "Senators Grill Balfour Beatty Communities Execs Over Military Housing," Engineering News-Record, April 27, 2022.
¹¹ Ibid.
¹² Ibid.
¹³ Ibid.
¹⁴ Diana Stancy, "Families sue over 'appalling' conditions in Florida military housing," Air Force Times, April 21, 2025.
¹⁵ What's New Today, "Military Families Ordered to Rip Down Christmas Decorations," November 9, 2025.
¹⁶ Richard Pollina, "Florida military families told to take down early Christmas decorations to comply with base standards," New York Post, November 10, 2025.
¹⁷ What's New Today, "Military Families Ordered to Rip Down Christmas Decorations," November 9, 2025.
¹⁸ Ibid.
¹⁹ Richard Pollina, "Florida military families told to take down early Christmas decorations to comply with base standards," New York Post, November 10, 2025.
²⁰ Haley Britzky, "Military housing company to pay $65 million fine after years of 'pervasive fraud,'" Task & Purpose, December 23, 202
