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Fort Meade Welcome GuideRecreationMonday, March 24, 2008
Information, Tickets, Registration Office
6530 York Road (Arts & Crafts building) (301) 677-7354 Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon. The Information Tickets and Registration Office is a centralized point where members of the Fort Meade community can obtain information about available recreational and entertainment activities not only on post, but also in the surrounding civilian communities. Services include vacation planning assistance, hotel reservations, and ticket sales for national and regional attractions – theme parks, sporting events, historical and cultural sites, movie theaters, and special events. Once a month ITR offers escorted one-day bus trips to New York City. Some trips include a ticket to a Broadway show. Check out the discounted vacation packages on cruises and destinations around the world. The ITR staff welcomes active duty and retired service members, their family members, and Department of Defense civilians and their families. A facsimile service is available for a nominal fee.
Morale, Welfare & Recreation Card The following activities require the MWR Card: Auto Skills Center, the Gaffney and Murphy Fitness Centers, Check-it-Out, and the Woodshop at Arts and Crafts.
Arts and Crafts • The Arts and Crafts Frame Shop staff will gladly teach you how to frame your own pictures or they can frame them for you. The shop has more than 1,000 different kinds of decorative moldings and a wide variety of mattes from which to choose. The new Stivers Art Gallery also features a wide selection of military action prints for sale. The subject matter varies from the Buffalo Soldier era up to the current GWOT effort and all significant military actions in between. If you don’t see what you want, staff can order it for you. All prints are signed and numbered and may be purchased framed or unframed. • The Engraving Shop is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m, and staff members are on hand to help personalize gifts. The shop carries a large inventory of plaques, trophies, and other recognition-type materials as well as flag cases. The engraver can work with wood, metal, glass, or plexiglass. • The Woodshop offers shops for both the novice and the experienced woodworker. A safety class and a MWR card are required prior to starting a project. The only limit is your imagination. The center also sells specialty lumber at discounted prices.
GYMS Gaffney is also the base of the installation’s adult intramural sports program. On Fort Meade, intramurals are really inter-service as all units, regardless of branch of service, participate in the Army program. The Gaffney Fitness Center was named in honor of the lateCol. Leo Francis Gaffney, a former First U.S. Army special services officer who was once stationed at Fort Meade.
• Mullins Stadium Track
• Murphy Field House
Movie Theater
Automotive Skills Center New patrons must view a 20-minute safety video and attend a 10-minute briefing before using the facility. An MWR Card (available at Gaffney Fitness Center) is required.
Better Opportunitiesfor Single Soldiers Fort Meade is committed to pursuing this mission through its appointment of a full-time BOSS representative, who is a single service member, and an elected board of officers. The BOSS committee is representative of the services that reside on the installation. Subcommittees are tasked to address issues as diverse as social activities, parties and day trips along with quality of life matters such as barracks living, dining halls and transportation. BOSS members contribute significantly to the Fort Meade community by providing countless hours of civic duty volunteering for children, family and retiree organizations and projects. BOSS also manages the vehicle resale lot. Individuals interested in selling vehicles at the lot must provide proof of auto insurance and a valid ID card in order to receive a 30 day permit. Violators of this policy will have their vehicles towed away to an off post location. For more information about the resale lot, call (301) 677-4838.
The Coursesat Fort Meade A modern full service clubhouse – which is available for private catering functions – completes the complex. It features casual dining, a lounge and a patio with a great view. Get all your golfing equipment at The Courses Pro Shop; remember, there is no state sales tax when you buy from Morale, Welfare and Recreation. Facilities are open to all ranks, grades, and services and their guests. Honorably discharged veterans with less than 20 years service are eligible to play at The Courses as well.
The Lanes Fort Meade Inside the Lanes are both the Pin Deck CafÈ and the 11th Frame Lounge and Deck, a full service bar with a smoking room, which are open the same hours as The Lanes. The Pro Shop at the Lanes offers a variety of the latest merchandise and provides drilling services. There is also an arcade of the latest video games. Patrons are invited to join one of the many leagues offered at The Lanes. There is something for everyone: youth, parent and child, men’s, married couples, special interest and even a Sports League for those PBA hopefuls. Sundays are Family Fun Days when The Lanes offers discount prices on games and food. Cosmic bowling is featured every Saturday night and on special occasions throughout the year.
Medal of Honor Memorial Library All materials, except for reference, circulate for a two-weekperiod. Under special circumstances, reference material may be borrowed for a one-week period. Lost or damaged material must be reported in a timely manner to the staff and restitution made in accordance with Army Regulation 735-17, Accounting for Library Materials. The outside book drop is available forreturns after close of business. The library is wheelchair accessible and there is a bicycle rack located adjacent to the Burba Lake entrance. The Fort Meade Library is comprised of the following sections and offers these services:
4998 2nd Corps Blvd. Potomac Place Community Center (410) 305-0610 Hours vary In addition to the Fort Meade Post Library, there is also a library especially for children. The Children’s Library is known for its authentic tree house with a real live tree for the children to enjoy.
Fort Meade Museum In 1973, the museum became permanently established as the Fort George G. Meade Museum. Its purpose now is to collect, preserve, study and exhibit military artifacts – particularly those items related to Fort Meade – along with early American armor. The museum also provides educational services such as the identification of military artifacts, lectures about military history and the history of Fort Meade, and battle staff rides to local battlefields. The Fort Meade Museum is free and open to the general public.
Camp Meade RV Park Camp Meade RV Park is the perfect stopping point for visitors to the area – both military and family members, military members awaiting housing, or families who are en route to their next assignment.
Recreational Vehicles Storage Lot
Check-it-out Items are available to active duty, Reservists, and retired military personnel and their family members, Department of Defense civilians working on Fort Meade or at NSA are also authorized to use this equipment.
Burba Park Burba Park also has a large children’s playground with swings and other recreational equipment. The playground is open every day from dawn until dusk. For reservations or more information, call the Burba Park office. Patrons may fish in Burba Lake; those over 16 must have a fishing license. The lake is re-stocked in April and October, about two weeks before the Annual Youth Fishing Rodeos, which are free and open to eligible patrons and their guests.
The Fort Meade Pavilion The Pavilion is available to its patrons for rent. Onsite are power hook ups, a 20' x 40' stage, water, and bathrooms.
CLUBS
Battle of the Bulge Historical Foundation Group members meet twice a year and sponsor an annual commemoration dinner to honor the memory of the battle.
Boy Scouts
• Troop 379
Cub Scouts, Four Rivers District (Fort Meade), Pack 377 The pack meeting is normally held on the last Friday of the month, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Meade Middle School.
Ducks Unlimited (Fort Meade Chapter) The group meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Perry’s Restaurant in Odenton.
Enlisted Spouses Club Spouses of active duty or retired, Reserve and National Guard enlisted personnel in grades E-1 through E-9 from all branches of service are eligible to join the club. The Enlisted Spouses Club offers college scholarships annually to children of active duty or retired personnel E-1 through E-9 whose family resides in the Fort Meade area. Activities that are supported by the Enlisted Spouses Club include the Post Thrift Shop, Army Community Service and the USO. Childcare is paid for all members who attend daytime functions and for those who volunteer to work in the Post Thrift Shop. Meetings are held the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Enlisted Spouses clubhouse located at 3182 MacArthur Road. All meetings, parties and group activities are published in the Soundoff! and on Meade TV.
E-9 Association Association activities include periodic social gatherings, regular meetings, presentations of appropriate mementos to departing members, introduction of new arrivals, and the extension of condolence on the death of an active member or member’s immediate family. Members pay dues of $7 per month or $72 per year. Members have the right to vote, hold elected office, propose changes to our constitution and by-laws, and participate in the activities of committees as may be established to achieve the purpose of the organization. The group meets the second Friday of every month at 7 a.m. at the Lanes Fort Meade.
The Meade Area Garden Club The club provides informative programs about gardening, plants, flower arranging and landscaping, as well as refreshments and the opportunity to meet new people in the community. The group also sponsors trips to events like the Philadelphia Flower Show. Dues are $20 per year and include a monthly newsletter, monthly meetings and discounts on trips. The club meets the third Friday of each month September to May (except December), 10 a.m. to noon at the Jessup Community Center, Maryland Route 175 and Wigley Avenue.
German Wives’ Club
Girl Scouts The Girl Scouts meet once a week at the Chapel Center on Rockenbach Road.
Military Officers Association of America (Fort Meade Chapter) The Fort Meade MOAA Chapter has 140 active duty, former officer and retired members, many of whom are working in either their second or third careers after military service. The chapter meets at least quarterly and hosts a wide variety of guest speakers and interesting programs. Key legislative initiatives are supported by many dedicated members. Support from current and potential members is critical to retention and the improvement of current and future benefits and for enhancing quality of life programs.
Military Order of World Wars (Fort Meade Chapter) Chapters are the backbone of the Order and hold regular meetings to engage in a dialogue about issues of national importance and plan for the Order’s outreach programs to include the Boys Scouts, Girls Scouts, ROTC⁄JROTC programs, Massing of the Colors, support of memorial services, and patriotic education programs for the Nation’s youth. MOWW conducts monthly meetings at Club Meade.
National Sojourners
Officers’ Wives Club The membership consists of the adult members for the families of all officers (active duty, reserve, retired and warrant) or DoD employees (GS-9 and above). Club luncheons are held on the third Wednesday of each month. Dates of the luncheon, parties and group activities are published in the Soundoff!, the OWC newsletter ‘‘Chit-chat,” and other local publications. Group activities include sightseeing, lectures, classes and other activities in which there is sufficient interest.The OWC offers scholarships to high school seniors and contributes to community projects such as scout programs, the post nursery, Army Community Service and local schools.
The Retired Enlisted Association (Chapter 24)
Retired Officers’ Wives’ Club The group meets the first Tuesday of the month at 11 a.m.at Club Meade.
Retiree Council
Fort Meade Rod and Gun Club The club meets the first Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Outdoor Adventure Center (building T4). The Meade Rod and Gun Club currently has approximately 150 members. Membership dues for the club are $25 for the first year and $15 per year for renewal for individuals. The club also offers Family Memberships for $30 per year for new members and $25 per year for renewal membership. Junior memberships are available for $1. The year runs July through June. New club members are required to be members of the NRA and are required to maintain their NRA memberships.
Toastmasters – Generally Speaking (Fort Meade Chapter) Membership is for individuals age 18 or older. No military or government affiliation is required for membership. Those without a Department of Defense ID card must meet the requirements for access to the installation, which may vary depending on the force protection level. Visitors are always welcome at meetings. The group meets the first and third Thursday of each month at the Potomac Place Neighborhood Center.
Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge Association (MD⁄DC Chapter) TRAVEL & TOURISM
Maryland
Annapolis
United States Naval Academy The Naval Academy Museum features 300 years of American Naval history. There are four exhibition galleries totaling 12,000 square feet. In addition to the galleries, museum objects are also exhibited in the Chapel crypt, Memorial Hall, the Yard, and most of the academic buildings. Open Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years day. Free. Access to the Academy grounds is limited. All visitors over the age of 16 must have a valid picture ID. The center is open daily. Guided walking tours of the grounds are offered through the visitor center.
Antietam National Battlefield The Visitor Center houses a museum, observation room, 134-seat theater, book store and research library and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Memorial Day to Labor Day) and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Labor Day to Memorial Day). Closed Thanksgiving, Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years day. Admission charged. Children 16 and under are free.
Baltimore The popular Baltimore neighborhood of Federal Hill was named for a huge celebration the residents held in honor of the ratification of the federal Constitution. The cannon on the hill overlooking the Inner Harbor is a reminder of the Civil War, when federal troops seized the railroads and occupied Baltimore and Annapolis to keep Maryland in the Union and to prevent Washington, D.C., from being surrounded by Confederate states. Among Baltimore’s literary landmarks is a house lived in by Edgar Allan Poe, who died in Baltimore in 1849. He is buried in Westminster Cemetery, where Baltimore teachers and schoolchildren erected a monument to him with money collected in 1875.
Maryland Zoo in Baltimore Currently the zoo’s animal collection encompasses more than 1,500 birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles, representing nearly 200 species. Animals are displayed in natural settings replicating their native habitats. The zoo features a three-acre African elephant park and a hippo and African flamingo exhibit. Take a safari through Africa. Discover hands-on adventures in the Children’s Zoo, and explore the winding path through the Lyn P. Meyerhoff Maryland Wilderness. Open daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the months of January and February. Admission charged.
Fort McHenry Witness the daily flag change (weather permitting) at 9:30 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. (7:20 p.m. during the summer months), interpretive programs and seasonal living history lessons. The star fort and grounds are self-guided tours. The grounds are open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the Visitor Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving, Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years day. Admission charged. Under age 15 admitted free.
Harborplace & the Gallery
Maryland Science Center, Davis Planetarium & IMAX Theater
National Aquarium in Baltimore
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Port Discovery
Laurel Park & Pimlico
Washington, D.C. Maj. Pierre L’Enfant designed Washington D.C. in 1791. It was the first American city planned for a specific purpose. L’Enfant laid out the city around numerous circles and squares connected by straight boulevards. The layout has often been described as reminiscent of a series of wagon wheels. This design, often described as brilliant, allowed for growth; however L’Enfant could not have foreseen the advent of automobiles in a nation of more than 230 million people. Four sections make up Washington: northeast, southeast, northwest and southwest. Any address is always followed by an abbreviation of the appropriate section of town: NE, SE, NW and SW. Washington has one of the most comprehensive and attractive public transportation systems on the East Coast, with Metro at the top of it all. The Metro not only connects the numerous sights in the city with each other, but the subway also branches out to parts of Virginia and Maryland.
Jefferson Memorial
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts The Kennedy Center contains the Opera House, Concert Hall, Eisenhower Theater, the Terrace Theater, Hall of Nations and the American Film Institute Theater. A shuttle is available from Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro.
National Air & Space Museum Closest Metro is Smithsonian. The National Air and Space Museum is open daily, except Dec. 25, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. General admission is free.
National Zoological Park Open daily, except Christmas. From April 1 to Oct. 31, animal buildings are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the grounds are open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. From Nov. 1 to March 31, animal buildings are open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and grounds open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free. Closest Metro is Cleveland Park or Woodley Park-National Zoo.
The White House Public tours of the White House are only available for groups of 10 or more people. Requests must be submitted through one’s member of Congress and are accepted up to six months in advance. These self-guided tours are available from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (excluding federal holidays), and are scheduled on a first come, first served basis approximately one month in advance of the requested date. All White House tours are free of charge. For the most current tour information, please call the 24-hour line at 202) 456-7041. The White House Visitor Center – featuring many aspects of the White House, including its architecture, furnishings, first families, social events – is located at the southeast corner of 15th and E Streets and is open daily from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Nearest Metros are Farragut West, McPherson Square or Metro Center.
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