Fort Meade continues to grow as the Asymmetric Warfare Group prepares for the construction of a three-building complex that will feature a headquarters facility, visitor control center, and a vehicle maintenance and motor pool.


Col. Patrick J. Mahaney Jr., commander of AWG, broke ground for the new complex during a ceremony on Jan. 29. He was joined by Garrison Commander Col. Edward C. Rothstein; Lt. Col. Brad Endres, deputy commander of Baltimore District Army Corps of Engineers; and Joe Tierney, project executive with Skanska USA Building construction company.

The $31 million project is scheduled to be completed in late 2015 to "replace or complement the current aging facilities," said Lt. Col. Sonise Lumbaca, public affairs officer for AWG.

When the unit stood up on Fort Meade in 2006, AWG was moved into an old jail near Huber Road.

"It was very interesting moving the unit into an old jail, but it served our purpose," Mahaney said.

Since then, the unit and mission has "grown by leaps and bounds," Mahaney said, making the construction of a new complex necessary.

"The facility is just simply too small," he said.

AWG provides operational advisory and solution-development support globally to the Army and Joint Force Commanders to enhance Soldier survivability and combat effectiveness, and enable the defeat of current and emerging threats in support of Unified Land Operations.

The new complex will consist of a 75,000-square-foot headquarters building; 2,700-square-foot visitor control center; and a 7,000-square-foot maintenance facility and motor pool. New facilities will provide office space for operational support and staff sections as well as conference rooms. The maintenance facility will have space to conduct vehicle maintenance and fabrication.

The contract was awarded on Oct. 30, 2012 to Skanska. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District will manage the contract through its Bay Area Office in coordination with Fort Meade and AWG leaders.

The three buildings will join current facilities used for operational squadrons, warehouse and logistic operations, and a new 26,000-square-foot indoor firing range, which underwent construction last winter and is not yet completed.

Lumbaca said the new facilities will "ensure that the AWG continues to meet its rapidly deployable global mission and solution-development mission in support of Army and joint-force commanders."