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Fort George G. Meade Base Guide

Kena Sosa

Part of the Capitol area, Fort Meade is found between Baltimore, Maryland; Annapolis, Maryland and Washington D.C. Nearby counties with service member communities include Anne Arundel County, Howard County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County, creating a larger National Capital Region that is home to over 13 million people.

Fort George G. Meade specializes in Intelligence and Cyber security. The area, with its local urban setting and proximity to outdoor recreation, makes it an ideal home for service members, families, and the many retired service members who continue to stay in the area.

Related: Veteran Education Benefits Guide

Fort Meade Surrounding Area

Fort Meade, Maryland, sits between Baltimore, Maryland; Annapolis, Maryland and Washington D.C. Due to its location in the Capitol area, there are many city sites to visit, including museums, historical sites, and even the Capitol itself. In Washington, many public museums offer free admission near various restaurants. Some popular museums in the area to visit include:

• National Electronics Museum
• Baltimore Museum of Art
• National Cryptologic Museum
• Fort Meade Museum

For those who prefer to enjoy outdoor recreation, many natural areas for hiking, swimming and exploring are available in reasonable distance from Fort Meade, including:

• Lake Waterford Park
• Lake Elkhorn Park
• Piney Orchard Nature Preserve
• Fort Meade Campground

Contacts at Fort Meade

Fort George G. Meade
830 Chisholm Ave
Fort Meade, MD 20755
(301) 677-5590

• Barracks/Single Service Member Housing (301) 677-2458
• Child Development Center (301) 677-6002
• Commissary (410) 672-1183
• Housing Referral Office (301) 677-7748
• ID/CAC Card Processing (301) 677-3342
• School Age Care (301) 677-1245
• School Liaison (301) 677-1227
• Temporary Lodging/Billeting (410) 674-7700
• Youth Programs/Centers (301) 677-6054

Fort Meade Mission and Units

Fort George G. Meade’s mission is to assure that military commands, missions and service members have their infrastructure and security needs met, to support intelligence, information and cyber operations that contribute to national security. Important missions and units include:

• 1st Medical Recruiting Battalion
• 200th Military Police Command
• 32nd Civil Support Team
• 55th Signal Company (Combat Camera)
• 704th Military Intelligence Brigade
• 70th Intelligence Wing
• 780th Military Intelligence Brigade
• Army Audit Agency
• Central Clearance Facility
• Criminal Investigation Division
• Cryptologic Warfare Group Six
• Defense Consolidated Adjudication Facility
• Defense Courier Service
• Defense Infomation Systems Agency
• Defense Information School (DINFOS)
• Defense Media Activity (DMA)
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Forensic Toxicology Drug Testing Laboratory
• Headquarters U.S. Army Garrison, Ft George G. Meade
• Joint Regional Medical Plans & Operations Branch, Northeast
• Kimbrough Ambulatory Care Clinic
• Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS), Baltimore
• National Security Agency and Central Security Clearance Service
• Noncommissioned Officer Academy Detachment
• Public Health Command – Atlantic
• U.S. Army Corps Engineers Baltimore District
• U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command
• U.S. Army Field Band
• U.S. Army Recruiting Battalion-Baltimore
• U.S. Army Recruiting Command 1st Recruiting Brigade
• U.S. Army Signal Activity-Ft Meade
• U.S. Tenth Fleet
• USCYBERCOM

In-Processing and Check-In for Fort Meade

Incoming personnel should seek out their sponsor or assigned command unit to learn about orientation specifics upon arrival. Make sure to have orders, military ID, medical records, and other arrival documents in hand and ready.

When arriving, make your command sponsor aware when to expect you and where you are temporarily housed.

Those coming in to serve in the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Meade must complete five days of in-processing and orientation. Afterward, you will need to fulfill the Master Resiliency 16 hour requirement. Once completed, you will be directed to your next steps to begin service. You cannot move past in-processing until these steps are complete. Inquire with your sponsor for questions and details.

Child Care at Fort Meade

Child care for incoming service members with families is a priority. For this reason, service members at Fort Meade have several Child Development Centers to choose from to ensure their child finds space in a quality program.

Child Development Centers offer care from certified caregivers for children as early as six weeks old to school-aged children at 5 years old. Part-time and full-time care programs are offered on-site at these facilities.

To register children for these programs, contact a CDC in advance to hold a spot. Provide the service member’s orders and identification, birth certificate for the child, and immunization and health records.

Proof of address may be requested. Reach out to one of the four main CDC offices at any of the following numbers: (301) 677-6002, (301) 677-1530, (301) 677-1950, or (301) 677-9438.

Fort Meade Housing

The Army Housing Office is the hub for housing assistance for service members and their families. The Army Housing Office at this site cooperates with privatized housing to offer more housing options to families. The Housing Office Liaison will assist with finding housing based on needs and availability in the community. Corvias manages the privatized housing supply at Fort Meade.

Over 2,600 family housing sites and over 400 apartments are accessible through this program. Service members from all branches reside at this site. If no availability is found, the Housing Office will help find off-base housing when needed. The Housing Office can be reached at (301) 677-7748 during regular business hours. Due to availability it is advised to reach out to the housing office ahead of expected arrival to the area.

Related: Basic Allowance for Housing Calculator

Commissary

Meade Shoppette/Service Station/ Class Six Store/ Car Wash
Bldg 4706 MacArthur Road
Fort Meade, MD 20755
(410) 672-1183

The commissary at Fort Meade has convenient access to a service station and car wash in addition to supplying daily staple supplies for service members and their families. The commissary offers service members standard grocery items on a daily basis. For special events and occasions, the commissary can be used to order meat and deli trays and fruit and vegetable trays with advance notice. Call the commissary for questions and to place orders.

PCS and TDY Lodging

Temporary lodging for the Fort Meade facility is found at Candlewood Suites, Building 4690. At this site, there are more than 200 units with standard amenities including breakfast, kitchenettes and access to laundry facilities.

All rooms are non-smoking. Due to demand, it is recommended that incoming service members reach out to the facility as much as three months in advance to ensure a spot. Accommodations will be given on a first come, first serve basis. Contact the office at (410) 674-7700 to inquire about availability and reservation options.

Transportation

Fort Meade, found between Washington D.C. and Baltimore, has access to I-95 and MD 175.  The closest airport to Fort George G. Meade is Baltimore Washington International, only 20 minutes away. With limited transportation options on base, it is recommended to arrange for a personal vehicle. Shuttle access on post is limited. Vehicles are no longer required to be registered at Fort George G. Meade.

When leaving the airport, use I-195 to MD 295 to MD 175 E. Follow signs to Fort George G. Meade. Use Mapes Rd to enter the Ft Meade Main Gate and Visitor Control Center. At the gate, one should have the following in hand and ready to present: vehicle registration and proof of insurance, identification and any orders and relevant documents.

Vehicle Registration And Driver’s License

When entering Fort Meade, drivers of all personal vehicles should expect to provide their military ID, vehicle identification and proof of insurance. If arriving for the first time, head to the Visitor Control Center on Reece Road. Vehicle registration to the site is no longer mandatory.

When on base, all drivers and passengers are expected to comply with state and local laws, including seatbelt use for all riders. Any small children under 40 pounds should be in a safety seat in the back of the vehicle. Cell phone use is not allowed unless with a hands-free device without exception.

Motorcycle drivers must use safety equipment, including a helmet and safety gear, and have their motorcycle registration, motorcycle license, and insurance ready to present at will.

Schools

Fort George G. Meade has many education options to choose from for young learners. This facility has many schools located on base including:

• West Meade Early Education Center (PreK-K-ECI) (410) 222-6545
• Pershing Hill Elementary School (1-5)  (410) 222-6519
• MacArthur Middle School (6-8) (410) 674-0032
• Manor View Elementary School (1-5) (410) 222-0654
• Meade Middle School (6-8)  (410) 674-2355
• Meade Senior High School (9-12) (410) 674-7710
• Meade Heights Elementary School (PreK-5) (410) 222-6509

In addition to the on-base schools, there are off-base options as well including:

• Jessup Elementary (PreK-5 & ECI) (410) 222-6490
• Maryland City Elementary (PreK-5) (301) 725-4256
• Seven Oaks Elementary (PreK-5)  (410) 222-0937

Colleges and Universities

Fort Meade service members can access the Army Education Services Division on-site at 4415 Llewellyn Avenue. The Army Education Services Division offers continuing education classes and access to higher education options for service members and can help with applications for tuition assistance programs.

Anne Arundel Community College and the University of Maryland Global Campus both have branch offices at the Army Education Services Division, although classes will be held off-site or online. Anne Arundel Community College provides certificate and associate degree options. The University of Maryland Global Campus has certificate and upper-level undergraduate classes to finish needed degrees. For questions and to get started, reach out to the Education Center at (301) 677-6421.

Related: Ultimate GI Bill Guide

Fort Meade History

In 1917, Fort George G. Meade was founded under the name Camp Meade to support expeditionary missions in World War I after Union Civil War Officer, Major General George G. Meade. Fort Meade is renowned for many reasons over the years, but one is for having the first women in uniform, known as “Hello Girls.”

The “Hello Girls” operated the phone lines that connected service members in France and the U.S.. General Dwight D. Eisenhower and George Patton both served at Fort Meade during their careers. This site was used as a training camp, POW camp, and holding center for soldiers from Japan, Germany, and Italy during World War II before becoming the National Security Agency headquarters in 1957.

During the following decades, Fort Meade developed and used radar technology and contributed to deploying missiles for the U.S. during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

In 1996, the Defense Information School and Defense Visual Information School, as well as the Defense Photography School, merged to operate on Fort Meade.

Today, Fort Meade continues to house the National Security Agency and U. S. Cyber Command, in addition to other Intelligence units, Defense Information Systems Agency, and Defense Media Activity to provide security to the United States and its allies.

Related: Ultimate Military Benefits Guide