Welcome to Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, an installation dedicated to providing quality support to service members, Department of Defense civilian employees, family members, and military retirees. Every day, more than 100,000 people seek the services Fort Meade offers. Its primary mission is to provide a wide range of services to more than 80 partner organizations from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coastguard, as well as to several federal agencies including the National Security Agency, the Defense Information Systems Agency, the Defense Information School, the Defense Courier Service and the U.S. Army Field Band.

Fort Meade is truly a million-dollar community. In 2007, the installation was awarded second place in the Army Communities of Excellence program, an accolade which brought with it a cash award of $1 million. ACOE leaders believe performance and productivity improve within communities that instill pride and impart a sense of purpose. The ACOE is a process that examines both service and facility excellence, evaluating an installation’s personnel, medical and exchange services as well as its barracks, military housing and National Guard armories. The prize money will be used to further improve the installation’s services and facilities.

Fort Meade is conveniently located between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. The installation lies approximately five miles east of Interstate 95 and one-half mile east of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, between Maryland State routes 175 and 198. Fort Meade is located near the communities of Odenton, Laurel, Columbia and Jessup, and is home to approximately 10,000 military personnel along with about 25,000 civilian employees. Nearly 6,000 family members reside on post. Fort Meade is Maryland’s largest employer and is the fourth-largest workforce of any Army installation in the U.S. In response to the military’s Base Realignment and Closure plan, construction will begin on several new facilities in the next few years as all Department of Defense Media Activities, the Defense Information Systems Agency and the Joint Network Systems Management relocate here.

Temperatures range from a mean daily maximum of 85 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer to 30 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. In the winter, the average monthly snowfall is four to 10 inches. In the early stages of the season, springtime is accompanied by high winds and moderate thunderstorms and summers are moderately hot and humid. Autumn is very pleasant with temperatures ranging as high as the mid-60s.

In addition to the many recreational activities available on Fort Meade, the region itself is full of interesting places to visit. You can tour the historical sites of Annapolis; visit the White House in Washington, D.C.; or attend a football, basketball or baseball game with one of the many professional and college teams in the Maryland, D.C., and Northern Virginia areas.

This guide was prepared to help you – the Fort Meade newcomer – but can also be valuable to long-time residents and employees. Use it often to find information, including telephone numbers, addresses, and Web sites of the offices and facilitieson Fort Meade. We hope your stay here will be enjoyable and your tour of dutyprofessionally rewarding.