The Defense Information System Agency broke ground Wednesday on its new headquarters, a 1 million-square-foot facility in the heart of Fort Meade.
As the biggest part of the Base Realignment and Closure expansion at the fort, officials said DISA will make the fort the intelligence “epicenter” of the military.
DISA?s Director Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles Croom Jr. spoke to The Examiner about the move and DISA?s role in military operations.
In civilian speak, what exactly does DISA do?
You have a computer and you have a phone, and they have network providers, right? Well, we are the network providers for the Department of Defense. Just consider us the Verizon, AT&T, Google and Internet provider for the DoD.
And we have very special clients, from the president of the United States to the solider on the ground. We provide logistics across the globe, and support all levels of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.
What about moving to Fort Meade is advantageous for DISA?
[In Arlington, Va.], we are located in multiple buildings. Here, we?ll be under one roof. And some of clients we do business with, including the [National Security Agency], will be right at our doorstep.
What is the attitude of the DISA employees toward the move?
There are mixed emotions, whether to uproot from Virginia or just make the commute to Maryland.
What are the most frequent questions DISA employees have about Maryland?
I think they are concerned about education and transportation.
But your representatives have shown the communities in Maryland are just as good, if not better, than in Virginia. We are working to get the facts on the table for our employeesto decide.
We are pleased that the University of Maryland is working with us, and giving DISA employees in-state tuition. And we have a number of interns from the university, so now we?ll be closer to that valuable asset.
You are retiring soon. What are your plans?
Well, I hope to seek employment.
