Rat infestation leads to closure of Louisiana Air Force Base dining facility

The Red River Dining Facility at Barksdale Air Force Base is currently closed as part of an ongoing effort to address pest control.

On April 10, Air Force amn/nco/snco on Facebook made a post stating that the Red River Dining Facility was infested with rats and had been for several weeks.

According to the 2nd Bomb Wing public affairs office, the closure was to ensure safety and sanitation of all food services.

Civil Engineers, Entomology, Public Health and Force Support teams are working to address the pest control issue. According to the public affairs office, the issue arose when heavy rains forced the rats to seek drier locations.

Capt. Hunter Rininger, Chief of Public Affairs said, "our leadership team is continuously engaged with frequent Public Health assessments to ensure the safety and sanitation of all food service facilities."

At this time there is no set date for the reopening of the Red River Dining Facility. According to the public affairs office, mitigation efforts are ongoing and there will be a thorough joint inspection conducted to ensure the facility is safe to re-open.

All Airmen who currently have meal deductions from their pay will receive a prorated Basic Allowance for Subsistence refund.

Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.