The Department of Defense announced its recommendation to increase operations and military activities at Fort George G. Meade, Md., as part of the Congressionally-authorized 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. This process is an essential step in the transformation of the Army and other military services, maximizing their capabilities to work together more effectively while providing substantial savings in military spending. The DoD recommendations, which affect installations nationwide as the military strives to align its infrastructure with the needs of a more efficient and effective force, will bring three major operations to Fort Meade. These are the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), The Adjudication and Office of Hearing and Appeals Offices, and the DoD Media Activities. This amounts to an increase of approximately 5400 military, DOD civilian and contractor employees that will work on Fort Meade, as well as approximately 4900 family members.

We will construct three new facilities, one for each of the BRAC activities. DISA is the DoD’s analogy to the Internet companies that provide the nation’s and the world’s access to capabilities and services for commerce and business. They do the same for warfighting and business mission areas and some for the intelligence mission area, one that should grow over time. The DISA facility will be one million square feet at an estimated cost of $185 million.

The Adjudication and Office of Hearing and Appeals Offices facility will be 250,000 square feet at an estimated cost of $66 million. This will allow DoD to centralize all organizations currently conducting security clearance investigations and awards under one roof.

Soldier Magazine, Naval Media Center, Army Broadcasting-Soldier Radio⁄TV, Air Force News Agency & Army Hometown News Service, and the American Forces Information Service make up the new DOD Media Activity that is being established at Fort Meade to create a center for all command information products. This provides greater force protection for agencies now located in high-cost leased space and creates enhanced integration among Military information disseminating organizations. The DoD Media facility will be approximately 186,000 square feet at an estimated cost of $78 million.

Construction of these facilities is expected to start in early 2008 with a completion date of 2010. All BRAC activities are to relocate to Fort Meade by late 2011.

Also in the works is an Enhanced Used Lease Project. Enhanced Use Leasing is a new tool in the military’s arsenal providing an alternative to traditional approaches of acquiring, constructing or upgrading facilities. Fort Meade will leverage underutilized land that is not excess to the Military’s needs. The EUL project will consist of the construction of office buildings and two 18-hole golf courses to create collaborative opportunities with the missions and tenants of Fort Meade and to produce in-kind services for the property leased.

The proposed EUL will make possible the most effective and efficient use of land on Fort Meade. It will allow the installation to execute its comprehensive expansion master plan by freeing 395 acres in the center of the post for core missions while relocating the existing 36-hole golf course to an area on the periphery suited to recreational activities. The EUL will allow Fort Meade to derive significant benefits from non-excess land that is not being used currently, and support BRAC related and other growth by absorbing known contractor demand in support of national security missions on post.