Photo By Jeremy Todd | The USACE project management team looks up at the nearly completed Freedom Center...... read more read more
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At Fort Meade, Maryland, a transformation is rising from the ground. Two multi-story buildings stand as proof of a decade-long vision now taking physical form—the Freedom Center barracks project, a team effort between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District and the Intelligence Community that promises to set new standards for military housing in the digital age.
"It's a two-building project with East and West barracks," explains Capt. Anthony Adams, US Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District Project Manager, as he surveys the construction site.
The project aims to improve living conditions for service members at this critical installation. The 78,840-square-foot facility will house approximately 190 personnel and is expected to be completed by October 2025.
Engineering Excellence
"All four levels were successfully constructed. We are already working on the roof and the air, vapor barrier is already coated on the building," Capt. Adams notes, pointing out the visible progress.
Inside, the work advances floor by floor. "When you go inside, you can see the different levels of progress that we've made with the interior work, particularly the framing and then the in-wall work as well, with the coordination of mechanical plumbing and electrical," Adams continues, highlighting the complex integration of systems happening within the walls.
The work continues throughout the site. "We were able to observe some other exterior work, such as the parking lot in progress that we're working on the east side of the project, and then just kind of talked through the stormwater management with the bio pond on the other side of the road," Adams explains, demonstrating how the project considers both resident comfort and environmental impact.
The project uses modern building methods that speed up construction while maintaining quality. The common areas feature prefabricated walls that arrive partially assembled, saving time on site. For the floors, the team chose the HAMBRO deck system, which combines structural elements into one system. These techniques help the builders work faster and reduce waste, keeping the project on track for its 2025 completion date.
"I personally learned a lot from the exposure to the different Construction Contract types (primarily Design-Build and Design-Bid-Build)," says Capt. Adams. "UEPH is a Design-Bid-Build project where we contract a General Contractor for construction, but the government is responsible for providing the design to the detail required for the Construction Contractor to fully execute. To my knowledge, USACE usually contracts an Architectural-Engineering firm as a Designer of Record (DOR) to manage the design on behalf of the government. Therefore, when a conflict arises on the ground as the Contractor is executing from provided drawings, the issue must route from the contractor to our Resident Office (representing the government), to the Designer of Record. Naturally, that can affect the project's momentum. As a USACE Project Engineer, we are in a key position to streamline the communication and the problem solving required to minimize the gap from problem identification to executing the Designer of Record (DOR)-approved solution. The most effective collaboration we have are our weekly focused synchronization meetings for RFIs/Submittals and for Change Management, which provide key venues for the General Contractor, DOR, and USACE to advise supplementary information and brainstorm solutions. This helps to quickly develop courses of action for the necessary decisionmakers among the Design-Bid-Build framework."
A Home, Not Just Housing
The Freedom Center project reflects a shift in military housing philosophy, moving away from viewing barracks as temporary accommodations and instead creating homes for service members during their assignments. This approach recognizes that quality living environments affect morale and wellbeing. The modern design addresses maintenance challenges that have plagued older facilities, reducing frustrations and creating living spaces where personnel can relax and recharge. By focusing on creating homes rather than just housing, the project team aims to enhance quality of life for the professionals who will occupy these spaces, contributing to their effectiveness and job satisfaction.
Beyond the structural improvements, the barracks feature amenities that previous generations of service members could only dream of: two-bedroom units with walk-in closets, shared bathrooms, and kitchen/living areas. The inclusion of kitchenettes represents a significant upgrade, providing greater flexibility in dining choices—a small change with big impact on daily life.
"The Freedom Center barracks represent a significant leap forward in how we approach service member accommodations," explains Col. Francis Pera, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District. "We've intentionally designed these facilities with quality of life as a central priority, not an afterthought. The private living spaces with amenities like kitchenettes acknowledge that today's intelligence professionals need both community and personal space to decompress. We've also incorporated enhanced soundproofing, improved climate control systems, and modern communal areas that foster both social connection and quiet study. These elements might seem like luxuries to previous generations, but we understand they're essential components of a living environment that supports mental wellbeing and professional performance. When service members feel their basic needs are exceeded rather than just met, we see direct benefits in morale, retention, and mission focus."
Communication as Foundation
A project with multiple stakeholders needs strong communication to succeed. Capt. Adams identifies this as central to the project's success. "The challenge that I see is the communication that we have and synchronizing with the different entities that bring all this together," he explains. "Once we realized some ways to improve our communication, to increase some of the efficiency, that really helped significantly."
This recognition led to structured team meetings bringing together key players. "We focused on communications within our partnering session that we had recently," Adams continues. "That was a very productive session where we were able to bring in the contractor, senior leaders from the contractor team, from our team with our area engineer and administrative contracting officer, and then also with the design of record, DPW, with the facilitator."
According to Adams, team members make time to solve problems as they arise. The project team identified themes throughout the project that needed attention, particularly with change management, which tied directly to communication effectiveness.
Adams appreciates the evolution of the team's collaborative approach: "It's really neat to kind of see everyone's feedback from the first [partnering session] to the one that we just had and how some of those things were worked out in the meantime."
Col. Yolanda Gore, Commander of U.S. Army Garrison Fort George G. Meade, was quoted highlighting that the project's success depends on the dedication of the construction teams working daily at the site. She expressed appreciation for these individuals, noting that their commitment will benefit the service members who will eventually occupy the barracks.
The Team Behind the Project
Working with Capt. Adams is Markus Clark Bryant, project engineer for the United States Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District, who serves as a link between the Army and the contractors turning blueprints into reality.
"As project engineer... we're problem solvers," Clark Bryant explains. "Problem pops up, we solve it as quickly and as cost effectively as possible."
This modest description doesn't capture the full complexity of his role. On any given day, Clark Bryant reviews requests for information and submittals from contractors, conducts site walks to verify completed work, and coordinates payments—all while ensuring the project remains on schedule.
For Clark Bryant, the journey to this project began at Morgan State University, where he earned a degree in architecture and environmental design before pursuing graduate studies at Arizona State University.
"I knew that I wanted to get into a business where you're going to always be needed," Clark Bryant reflects on his career choice. "You know, construction was the best thing to get into."
His path took him through the private sector, including stints with Clark Construction and as a flooring subcontractor, before joining the Corps of Engineers nearly two years ago. The transition required adjustment.
"Private sector is a lot different," Clark Bryant notes. "With the government... I love the fact that there's a process for everything. And that minimizes questions being asked or flaws because you just follow the process that someone's done before you or what's already set in place."
Clark Bryant's unique perspective—having worked previously with Consigli Construction—gives him insight into both sides of the project. "My relationship with the contractor is a little different than someone else because I literally know a lot of the people that I'm working with every day," he explains.
This professional journey connects to a personal tie to service. "I have family that actually work for the Corps," Clark Bryant shares. "My father's a retired Marine Corps drill instructor who was enlisted for 20 years. So, he was ecstatic that I would be serving the country without putting my life on the front line personally."
Mission Impact
The importance of the Freedom Center barracks extends beyond its physical specifications or amenities. At the 2023 groundbreaking ceremony, former commander of U.S. Cyber Command and director of the National Security Agency Gen. Paul Nakasone emphasized the facility's strategic significance, explaining that it would house members of the Central Security Service—who comprise approximately 40 percent of the Intelligence Community workforce at this location. He highlighted how these analysts, linguists, and reporters are essential to core missions in signals intelligence and cybersecurity and stressed that these world-class professionals deserve world-class living facilities to support their critical work.
Clark Bryant echoes this view from his perspective on the ground. "General Nakasone, he was the director of the Intelligence Community at the time of groundbreaking, said we're pretty much serving about maybe 40% of [that] workforce," Clark Bryant recalls. "The people that are moving there, information specialists, linguists, they're going to go on to do things that are protecting our country in different ways."
This link between quality housing and mission success isn't lost on Clark Bryant. "The fact that I can say I'm [building] your living quarters or I make sure that you're comfortable for the time that you're spending—it's pretty neat."
Capt. Adams shares this appreciation for the project's larger purpose, noting: "You can see the immediate results to the improvement to quality of life and to the readiness of the customers that we support."
"The direct correlation between quality housing and mission readiness cannot be overstated," emphasizes Col. Pera. "When service members have comfortable, well-maintained living spaces, we see measurable improvements in focus, job satisfaction, and retention rates. This is particularly crucial for Intelligence Community personnel, whose work often involves complex analytical tasks requiring sustained concentration. By providing these modern barracks with enhanced amenities and private spaces, we're not just improving their living conditions—we're making a strategic investment in operational effectiveness. Every dollar we put into these facilities translates to improved performance in mission-critical areas that directly impact national security."
Legacy in Concrete and Steel
For many involved, the project represents more than just another construction job—it's a contribution to national security and service member welfare.
"My favorite part about this project is, as cliche as it sounds, just knowing that I'm able to help in the way most people don't really think about," Clark Bryant reflects. "You think serving your country is like, military, boom. But the military obviously, they need places to sleep, downtime, study, eat or whatever they're going to do."
Capt. Adams has found similar meaning in the work. He described watching the progress from the foundation stage through multiple levels of construction, expressing excitement about seeing how much more would be completed before his departure.
"Officially, I don't know if I'll be able to see the end of it, but it's really neat to just already see the progress and to see how quickly we've gotten to where we are now, because I was fortunate to come in when it was at the ground level," Adams notes.
He reflected on how rewarding it has been to see the entire project lifecycle, from design reviews through execution phase, and watching the buildings rise from the ground up. While he might not be present for the final completion, he looks forward to seeing the ribbon-cutting ceremony and hearing feedback once service members move into the new facilities.
As the project moves toward its 2025 completion date, it stands as proof of what teamwork and purposeful design can achieve—buildings that become homes and foundations for mission success.
Capt. Adams emphasized that working with the Construction Division has been an amazing experience, allowing him to see how different divisions come together to deliver quality projects that directly improve military readiness.
"Seeing everyone's work that goes into the design reviews and into building these packages to actually give our area and resident offices and the contractors something to work with. And then just seeing it actually build up from the ground up, has been really rewarding," he concludes.
The project will continue to have an impact long after construction ends.
"Recent studies show clear benefits from improved housing," emphasizes Col. Pera. "We see better cognitive performance and fewer stress-related health issues among personnel with access to modern, well-designed living spaces. For Intelligence Community personnel who often work irregular hours under pressure, having a comfortable living environment is critical. These barracks aren't just living spaces—they're force multipliers that allow intelligence professionals to recover between shifts and maintain focus. The Freedom Center project shows how smart infrastructure investment supports our national security objectives."
About Us
Baltimore District executes a robust military construction program and provides real estate services. These civil and military missions and diverse engineering services support communities and warfighters, while addressing the ever-growing list of emerging national security requirements, and ultimately protect the nation.
About Fort Meade Military Construction Projects
Located near Odenton, Maryland, along the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Fort Meade provides a base of support for numerous strategic, tactical and support organizations. The installation provides support and services for more than 78 partner organizations including the National Security Agency and the Asymmetric Warfare Group (ASW) Complex.
In 2016, the District completed the $35 million renovation and expansion of the Defense Information School. Other major work includes constructing two electrical utility plants, the $38 million ASW Complex, a $29 million chiller plant upgrade, and $38 million in building renovations and upgrades.
To see video interviews with Capt. Adams, Markus Clark Bryant, and other team members, along with construction highlights of the Freedom Center barracks project, visit our Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn pages.
| Date Taken: | 05.19.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.21.2025 09:07 |
| Story ID: | 498369 |
| Location: | BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 87 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Building for Warriors: US Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District Transforms Fort Meade Living Quarters, by Jeremy Todd, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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