Photo By Gloriann Martin | Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families Secretary Ed Rothstein takes a...... read more read more
Subscribe
FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. – A Veterans & Military Family Resource Fair, held Tuesday, March 17, organized by the Fort Meade Directorate of Morale, Welfare and Recreation, brought together more than 50 organizations offering services ranging from healthcare and housing to employment and education. The event, the first of its kind, was open to all service members, veterans, and their families. The highlight of the event featured the return of a familiar face to the Fort Meade community.
Retired U.S. Army Col. Ed Rothstein, now serving as the secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families, walked the halls of the Capt. John E. Smathers U.S. Army Reserve Center with a sense of homecoming. Once the garrison commander of Fort George G. Meade, Rothstein was back among the community he once led—this time focused on connecting veterans and families to vital support systems.
“This is just a continuation,” Rothstein said. “I feel like I’ve come back home.”
Appointed by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore in July 2025, Rothstein now oversees a broad network of programs supporting Maryland’s veteran community. His responsibilities include managing a skilled nursing facility serving nearly 300 veterans, maintaining five state veterans’ cemeteries, and coordinating benefits officers and outreach efforts across the state.
But for Rothstein, the title of “Secretary” is less about administration and more about service.
“I was put in this position not to be a politician, not to be a legislator,” he said. “To be a servant—to focus on the veterans and military families.”
That philosophy was evident as he moved through the fair, speaking with service providers and attendees alike. For many, the event represented a one-stop opportunity to access resources that can often feel fragmented or difficult to navigate.
Rothstein’s connection to Fort Meade runs deep.
As garrison commander from 2011 to 2014, he oversaw one of the nation’s most complex military installations, supporting more than 227,000 personnel across multiple states. During his tenure, he emphasized resilience and community well-being—efforts that led to the development of programs addressing physical, social, and spiritual health. One initiative, in particular, still resonates with him.
“To know that something focused on service continued on for years after I left—that’s phenomenal,” he said, referring to resiliency programs that evolved into permanent community resources on the installation.
Now, more than a decade later, Rothstein sees events like the resource fair as an extension of that same mission: ensuring that those who serve—and their families—have access to the support they need to thrive.
His journey to this role reflects a lifetime of service. A New Jersey native inspired by a Korean War veteran father and a nurse mother, Rothstein spent 30 years in the U.S. Army, serving in both the Chemical Corps and Military Intelligence. His career included senior roles at the Pentagon and the National Security Agency, as well as deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
After retiring from the military in 2014, he continued serving in civilian leadership roles across Maryland, including serving as a two-term Carroll County commissioner, before stepping into his current position. Yet, despite the breadth of his experience, Rothstein says the most rewarding part of his new role is the people.
“The best part is being surrounded by individuals and a community all driving in the same direction,” he said. Back at Fort Meade, that direction was clear: connection, support, and service. For Rothstein, the fair wasn’t just another event—it was a reminder that while roles may change, the mission endures.
| Date Taken: | 03.18.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.26.2026 14:03 |
| Story ID: | 561369 |
| Location: | FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 20 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Col. Rothstein returns to Fort Meade for veterans resource fair, by Bryan Spann, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
