Personnel are trained to fight on the frontline of warzones.
However, for some in the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), their battle is on the home front.
Newshub has been sent multiple videos and photos, some appearing to show homes with mould growing inside.
"There's mould that I can't get off, it's all stuck in the cracks, in the corners... it's all stuck in the seals,” one person said in a video appearing to show mould in their bathroom.
"Paint [is] all chipping off, just mould everywhere in the bathroom."
Two serving members of the military have taken the extraordinary step of speaking publicly about the living conditions in defence housing.
Newshub has agreed to keep their identities secret and will refer to them as Personnel A and Personnel B for the purpose of reporting.
"In almost every single defence house that I've entered there has been the presence of extensive black mould," Personnel B said.
Other photos appear to show paint chipping away revealing more mould behind the wallpaper, barrack toilets without a seat and another cubicle without a toilet paper holder.
"Morale at this stage right now is at rock bottom," Personnel B added.
Given the line of work soliders, airmen and sailors are in, they could be deployed anywhere around the world at a moment's notice.
"The last thing they need to be worrying about when there's potentially rounds being traded across the battlefield, is, 'Are my kids going to be OK this winter? Is my partner going to be alright?'"
Barracks aren't immune either.
"On short trips to [a military camp]... I've ended up [having to] sleep in thermals," Personnel A told Newshub. "And the heating, even though it's on full blast, you can still touch the heater."
Briefing documents from April highlight problems across the estate.
At Linton, New Zealand's largest operational army camp, ground infrastructure and boilers are beyond asset life - resulting in loss of water and hot water in barracks, and power failures.
"Given the nature of the job, what I volunteered and signed up to do... the way we get treated and the way that this is - the way they expect us to live and think it's good enough - yeah, it's hard,” Personnel A said.
In a statement, Defence estate and infrastructure general manager estate strategy Phil Gurnsey was blunt about the situation.
"The NZDF is well aware of the condition of its housing and other estate," he said. "The NZDF currently has 1821 houses, mostly in poor condition and at the end of useful life, across nine locations around New Zealand."
'Difficult news for some of you' - Chief of Defence on increasing rent
The cost of living in Defence Housing is going up drastically.
Chief of Defence Air Marshal Kevin Short recently signed a new agreement for rents in NZDF housing and barracks, some increasing as much as 40 percent.
"I recognise this increase to these rates may be difficult news for some of you," Short said in an internal message, seen by Newshub. "I acknowledge it is an incredibly stressful time for all whānau who are trying their best to manage financially."
Personnel living in defence housing pay rent at a discounted rate.
"This is the best option available to us for the majority within the constraints of New Zealand tax laws," Gurnsey said.
That rate is renegotiated between the Chief of Defence Force and the Commissioner of Inland Revenue every three years.
"Under changes to the Income Tax Act 2007 (applied in 2014), when an employer provides discounted accommodation to employees, the value of the discount is treated as income of the employer," said a summary issued to personnel, seen by Newshub.
It's estimated 35 percent of NZDF personnel will be affected by the rent increase, due to take effect in April 2024.
"Seeing the amount that it's going up - $250 in some [areas] - it's pretty shocking to me and quite gutting for the lower ranked personnel," Personnel B said.
Attrition rates are already at record levels and personnel believe this could make it worse.
"I know that probably a good 30 percent of my year group that came through have talked about leaving, there is a lot of frustration," Personnel A warned.
Maintenance backlog worth $350m
As of April, defence estate and infrastructure has a maintenance backlog which may be as high as $300 to $350 million.
"There is minimal, or no, remaining useful life in the majority of the defence estate," Gurnsey added.
"Many personnel are living and working in aged buildings which are unfit for purpose, with accelerated states of deterioration.
"Maintaining safe living and working conditions is a constant challenge.
"Unfortunately the regeneration of the estate has not occurred at the levels signalled under the Defence Estate Regeneration Programme 2019, due to constraints in capital funding over the last four years, resulting in an increased maintenance backlog."
Proposals are being presented to the Government for increased funding.
