FORT DETRICK, Md. — The installation’s Emergency Operations Center has completed a significant reconfiguration and technological overhaul designed to improve collaboration, expand capacity, and modernize how the post responds to crises in order to better support our warfighters and critical federal agencies.
The project, which evolved over a two-year period, moved beyond simple aesthetic updates to address functional limitations identified during previous exercises.
Tony Hockensmith, who led the effort for the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS), noted that the facility had not seen significant modifications since 2018. That previous effort was primarily a renewal of audio-visual contracts rather than a structural change. According to Hockensmith, after-action reports from various exercises highlighted the need for a new layout.
Previously, the room featured 24 workstations arranged at long tables. This setup often separated Emergency Support Functions, or ESFs, from the partners they needed to collaborate with most frequently.
“This led to an increase of volume in the room as individuals were found needing to talk over one another,” Hockensmith said.
To solve this, the team reorganized the floor plan into work groups, later solidifying this arrangement with the procurement of new furniture to create "pods." The new tables feature cable management, electronic charging stations, and whiteboard surfaces to assist with note-taking during fluid situations. They are also on wheels, allowing for rapid reconfiguration.
Taiszcha Castro, the installation emergency manager, emphasized that the physical environment is vital to the center's core mission: protecting life, property, and the environment.
“It is critical to provide a functional space in which all supporting functions can effectively ensure a coordinated and efficient response to emergencies,” Castro said. “The outstanding teamwork efforts throughout this project have helped in enhancing multi-level coordination with successful adaptability and problem-solving expertise.”
The reconfiguration required significant infrastructure changes. With support from the Fort Detrick telephone shop, data and phone ports were relocated, and the team re-ran wiring to support an expansion from 24 to 32 workstations.
The expansion includes an analog station, two dedicated stations for emergency managers, and four workstations for the Threat Working Group, which previously operated from a distant location.
The new layout also shifted the command structure within the room. Video and knowledge wall controllers are now co-located with emergency managers in the center of the floor, while the Command Team was moved to the rear of the room. Hockensmith said this provides leadership with “better command and control as well as a better overwatch of the facility.”
Technological upgrades ran parallel to the physical moves. The facility now features large wall monitors and desk-side screens to display the Common Operating Picture at both the front and back of the room. The team also installed a Microsoft Teams-compatible camera and microphone system and integrated the center with platforms used by local authorities in Frederick and Montgomery counties to ensure seamless operations across jurisdictional boundaries.
Tom Yocklin, Director, DPTMS, applauded his team’s effort, dedication and innovation on this project.
“We had to achieve this within the fiscal constraints of our existing budget while employing in-house talent,” Yocklin said. “We didn’t have outside IT specialist or contractors for any part of the project. Just hard work and dedication by Tony and the DPTMS team, and great support from DPW when we needed it.
“This was a total team effort and a truly impressive accomplishment,” Yocklin said.
Looking ahead, the EOC is preparing for the Army’s Voice Modernization plan. The facility has already converted phones to VoIP systems and is looking to replace the legacy Crestron Video Wall system, which utilizes parts that are nearly 20 years old.
“As the hardware technology improves, the team will work to identify the equipment that is most sustainable and affordable,” Hockensmith said.
| Date Taken: |
01.22.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
01.28.2026 17:01 |
| Story ID: |
557000 |
| Location: |
MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: |
12 |
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