Walter Reed Base Guide

The Housing Referral Office provides personalized housing locator service assisting DOD Military and Civilian Personnel in obtaining non-discriminating, adequate, affordable housing in the civilian community. All arriving military personnel must contact the Housing Referral Office before negotiating a contract for off-post and non-government housing.

For further information contact the Housing Referral Office, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at (202) 782-3153 or (202) 782-3117.

Privatized Housing

The Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPLI) Act passed in 1996 provides the military service with alternatives to eliminate inadequate family housing. The Residential Communities Initiative (RCI) program is a critical component in providing world class communities through public-private partnerships. Walter Reed Army Medical Center has partnered with GMH Military Housing to obtain private sector expertise, creativity, innovation and capital for our service members and their families housing needs. GMH Housing is located in Silver Spring, Maryland, approximately three (3) miles from the installation.

For further information visit GMH website at www.wramchomes.com or call (301) 649-9700.

Transportation

Parking

Parking on the main installation is severely limited, as it is in most of the Washington area. Carpooling reduces traffic and parking congestion, saves both gas and nerves, and reduces overall exhaust emissions. You must have a parking permit to park in designated parking spaces on post. The Walter Reed Parking and Vehicle Registration Office issues parking permits to all authorized Walter Reed and tenant-activity staff.

Rumbaugh Garage is at the rear of Bldg. 2 (main hospital) and is reserved for officers, civilian physicians, active-duty interns assigned to Walter Reed, senior civilian employees, some senior noncommissioned officers and Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences students on rotation at Walter Reed. Parking is also available there for contract nurses, volunteers and consultants, with approval from the garrison commander.

Abrams Hall, Bldg. 14, has an underground garage with three levels of access-controlled parking for barracks occupants, employees in the grade of GS-12, commissioned officers, authorized senior noncommissioned officers, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences students on rotation at Walter Reed, other staff in positions with designated parking, and carpools and vanpools.

Parking is also available at Forest Glen, including a two-level garage. A shuttle bus runs between there and the main campus from approximately 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Buses run every half-hour during weekday morning and afternoon rush hours, and hourly at other times. For schedule information, call (301) 295-7564 or 7562.

The federal Metrocheck program offers a monthly subsidy to qualified Soldiers and federal employees who use van pools or take public transportation to Walter Reed. Off-post parking is also severely limited. A two-hour limit on nonresidential parking is in effect on most of the streets surrounding the main campus. Violators of on-post parking are liable for ticketing and towing by Walter Reed police. District of Columbia police ticket off-post violations.

The underground garage in front of Heaton Pavilion (Bldg. 2, main hospital) is reserved for patients, visitors, volunteers, department chiefs and disabled parking. Valet service for patients with special needs is available at the first-floor entrance to the main hospital.

A limited number of parking spaces for patients with vehicles 6 feet 11 inches or taller is available on Dahlia Street in front of Bldg. 2.

Parking for patients and visitors with campers or trailers is available at the baseball field at Walter Reed’s Forest Glen section in Silver Spring. Electrical connections are provided. Register with Outdoor Recreation at (301) 295-8010.

For more information about parking on the Walter Reed installation, visit the Vehicle Registration Office in Bldg. 11 (Delano Hall), Room G-109. Open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Phone (202) 782-6978 or 8151. The first Wednesday of every month the Vehicle Registration Office is open until 6:30 p.m.

Vehicle Registration

Please bring the proper documents with you when you register a vehicle at Walter Reed.

You must provide the following items to register for permanent staff parking:

Valid Department of Defense military or civilian identification card

Valid state driver’s license

Valid vehicle registration card

Current proof of insurance

Current proof of emissions test for vehicles older than 1993

To receive a temporary parking placard you must provide the following items:

Valid driver’s license

Current vehicle registration card

Power of Attorney if the vehicle is not registered in your name.

Metrocheck Program

All federal agencies in the National Capital Region offer qualified employees a monthly stipend as a transit or vanpool subsidy to help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. Walter Reed participants receive this transit subsidy, commonly called the Metrocheck program, depending on the distance from home to work.

The program is open to all servicemembers and federal (civil service) employees. Generally, staff members who take part must give up their parking permits to receive the subsidy.

For more information about the Metrocheck program, see www.dtic.mil⁄ref⁄html⁄NCRTransitpass.html or call the Walter Reed Transportation Office at (301) 295-7644.