Fort George G. Meade gets a new commander every two to three years, leaving at times little in the way of making a long-term influence on the Odenton installation.
But under Army Col. Kenneth McCreedy‘s three-year command, Fort Meade had to plan for its biggest influx in recent history, the 5,000 new jobs from the Base Realignment and Closure, as well as the newfound role in the area’s road and school growth.
The 52-year-old California native and former intelligence officer will turn over command of the fort Monday, eventually retiring in October to a civilian job in Charles County. The Examiner sat down with McCreedy last week as he packed his office, querying him on BRAC, education and his role in Fort Meade history.
Q: BRAC went into effect three months after you took command in June 2005. How has BRAC shaped your time as commander?
BRAC offered a very visible occurrence for the external community to grab onto and understand how the fort works. This is a one-time event that people can get their heads around and better understand Fort Meade.
If anything, BRAC served as leverage for us to talk about things we wouldn’t have talked about for a long time, and provide an action for our education institutions and transportation options.
BRAC has opened interaction between the community and the post, and broken down some of the barriers that might have arise since 9/11.
Our soldiers and sailors put in 400 hours of painting and doing repairs for the Housing Authority of Annapolis, working alongside community members.
It’s those kind of things that are designed to get us out in the community and bring the community into Fort Meade.
Q: Is Fort Meade ready for BRAC?
Yes.
We’re on track to execute BRAC. Construction is on its way of the [Defense Information System Agency] building, and we’re in the same process with the other organizations [coming to Fort Meade via BRAC].
The biggest concern continues to be infrastructure, but fixesare well into place to be ready by 2011. Our gas and electric is being modernized through BGE, and the privatization of our water/wastewater is about a year away.
Q: How has the enhanced-use lease issue helped or hurt that relationship?
EUL helps us meet and address other infrastructure issues due to BRAC, as we had to take down our golf course for buildings to house our sensitive agencies. It’s the same sort of things that [Anne Arundel county executive] Mr. [John] Leopold deals with – you never have enough money to put into all the things you want.
The EUL is a potential way to meet the deficits while replacing the golf course as well. The golf course provides critical revenues for our youth services.
I don’t think it’s hurt the relationship with the community but a part of the dialogue. I think we’ve been open about this all along.
The problem we have in the solution is that any payment in lieu of taxes [developer] Trammell Crow makes with the state and county will come off top of what we hoped to gain.
It’s a zero sum gain as far as Trammell Crow goes. Our concern is that this in effect becomes a tax on the revenues we had hoped to gain. The agreement being negotiated with Trammell Crow addresses the level of income of part of our ground leases.
What ever it is we will comply with the law and agreements.
Q: The fort has the greatest leverage in the contract negotiations. Can’t you simply up the amount to ensure the fort’s profits while the county obtains its fair share?
Only so much money can be made in the deal. That’s the negotiable piece we’ve separated as the ground lease.
Q: You tend to speak most passionately about education. Why is that issue so important to you?
I was stationed here in the late 1990s, and at that time, Meade High School was dirty, and kind of dark. The school had a huge turnover in staff that summer, and there was poor morale. It was not place I wanted my kids to go to school.
It was that image of Meade High School that resided in the military grapevine, and it let to a false perception to other Anne Arundel schools.
When I came back, I made the decision to send my kid to Meade high, and it had been tremendous improved since I departed.
That’s why focused on education. In part of self interest, but also for the people on post. I wanted people to be happy getting order to Fort Meade, instead of saying, ‘Oh no! I’ve heard those schools are crummy.’ Anne Arundel schools get a broad bush because of Meade High and the old perceptions of it.
It was important to change that whole perception. And with BRAC and the incoming workforce and trying to encourage them to move with their jobs, that’s another reason why we have to change education in this region.
Q: Anne Arundel and other local school systems doing enough to improve the quality of education to prepare for the incoming workforce?
There are great initiatives in each jurisdiction. One of things I’d like to see is the systems creating a more regional approach to BRAC. It’s not just going to happen in Anne Arundel.
All the schools systems talked about doing more language, such as Mandarin programs. The big problem is finding enough Mandarin instructors. Maybe there’s an opportunity to share that teacher and instruction through vide teleconferencing or interactive Internet.
Q: What is the status of the moldy barracks housing service members?
Airmen in the Air Force barracks, which you saw were the worse, are being moved this week into permanent barracks. We have $700,000 that we applying to address issues in that building. The mold abatement is completed. We are installing a new ventilation system to bring in fresh air to areas where mold tends to generate.
We have an engineering solution to prevent the conditions that led to the mold. We’re looking at the plumbing, such as the shower stalls.
By August, that building will be where we want it to be, and begin work on the other three barracks.
Q: During your career, which dates back to the Cold War, how has the face of Army changed?
I came on active duty in 1982, and there was the hard reality we may have to fight the Soviet Union. As an intelligence officer, I was trained in Russian doctrine and how we can fight them – we all were.
What we have now is a much more flexible and adaptable force. The enemy can come at us a number of ways and we’re prepared for them.
I think we’re more mature in understanding the full spectrum of operations. I’m proud to be part of this organization.
And I believe that our Army has made a positive difference in the world. I’ve been to Bosnia, and I know we made a difference there.
And I know we’ve made a difference in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s not perfect, but it’s a solution that has served the U.S. well, and will continue to do so.
Q: What do you think is your greatest moment during you military career?
I take tremendous satisfaction in the last three years, and all the different things I was able to touch and change. From little problems like a tree down to major ones like the cases of infant botulism, to the educational initiatives to the planning of BRAC that will have a 30 year impact on this installation.
It was a very fulfilling last assignment. Prior to this, I was always behind the scenes.
Q: That being said, what do you consider your biggest regret?
I don’t have any regrets.
Q: There isn’t a decision or something you wish you could have done differently?
In the last three years, I can’t think of anything.
Q: So there is nothing you think you could have done better?
Nothing comes to mind. Everything I did, I did on my best effort based on what I knew at the time and what made sense.
Q: What advice do you give to the incoming commander, Col. Daniel Thomas?
During these next three years, you have to realize the biggest thing you can give is your time. You have the normal tendency to think of yourself just a regular person. But being ‘the commander’ is important when you show up to an event, and there’s an expected importance attached to it that goes beyond your assignment.
Q: You consider yourself a historian. What kind of legacy do you want future historians to say about your time as Fort Meade’s commander?
I guess that I brought a stronger sense of community both inside the fence and outside the fence.
