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Meade barracks in need of repair

ANNAPOLIS JUNCTION, Md. — More than 300 service members who are attending the Defense Information School at Fort Meade live in barracks that badly need repairs, the fort’s commanding officer said.

Funds for such improvement projects were deferred for years “because of the growing needs of the military,” Col. Kenneth McCreedy told The Baltimore Examiner during a recent tour of four barracks.

Tech. Sgt. Keith Choate showed mold on a wall separating the main corridor and the bathrooms that resulted from leaks.

“Some don’t spend enough time here to care about it, but others have expressed concerns about living with mold,” Choate said.

The Marine Corps barracks are also in poor condition, with mold growing around overhead pipes. One room nicknamed the “Mold Room” is uninhabitable.

The Army’s barracks are in better shape after recent renovations. Before that, its conditions were the worst at the fort, McCreedy said.

The barracks were built in the 1950s and have leaky pipes and moisture problems that cause mold. They need modern piping and HVAC systems, officials said.

More than $50 million is slated for improvements at the four barracks. Inspectors were on site Monday to assess the damage and potential health risks.