Moldy, leaky conditions plague Fort Meade barracks

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Moldy, leaky conditions plague Fort Meade barracks

May 6, 2008

Baltimore Examiner - Baltimore,MD*

by Flanagan, The Examiner

http://www.examiner.com/a-

1376730~Moldy__leaky_conditions_plague_Fort_Meade_barracks.html

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Mold covers pipes and grows from walls,

while pipes leak and paint peels from 1950s-era barracks housing

service members stationed at Fort Meade.

" One way to look at barracks is if you would let your children live

there, " said Marine Maj. Danny Chung, commanding officer of 130

Marines at Fort Meade.

" I wouldn't let mine live here. "

More than 300 service members from the four military branches

attending the Defense Information School live in barracks in need of

repair, said Col. McCreedy, Meade's commanding officer.

" Because of the growing needs of the military ... money for these

improvement projects were " deferred for years, McCreedy said.

The concern over the barracks came after an Army soldier's father

videotaped the poor conditions of his son's barracks at Fort Bragg,

N.C., and released it to the public.

As a result, the Army has examined its barracks worldwide for

similar problems.

McCreedy gave The Examiner a tour of four barracks, from the newest

built in 2003 to the barracks in the worst conditions, including the

one housing the Air Force students in the Defense Information

School, the military's journalism school.

Tech. Sgt. Choate showed mold on a wall separating the main

corridor and the bathrooms that resulted from deteriorated shower

pans leaking.

" Some don't spend enough time here to care about it, but others have

expressed concerns about living with mold, " Choate said.

The Marine Corps barracks are also in poor condition with mold

growing around overhead pipes; one room called the " Mold Room " is

uninhabitable, because mold continues to grow despite efforts to

curb it.

The Army's barracks are in better shape after renovations the

previous year. Before that, its conditions were the worst on the

fort, McCreedy said.

The barracks were built in the 1950s and have leaky pipes and

moisture problems that cause mold. They need modern piping and HVAC

systems, officials said. More than $50 million is slated for

improvements at the four barracks.

Inspectors were on site Monday to determine the damage and potential

health risks.

But if the barracks have to close immediately, not enough space to

house the displaced service members would be available, and the fort

would have to shuffle people around and lease space, McCreedy said.

The hope is that two empty barracks being renovated will be ready by

July 2009 for service members.

" We can't do everything at once, and we'd have to play musical

chairs, " McCreedy said.

jflanagan@...