FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md., - For two years, the Airmen from the Air Force Student Detachment hung their hats at the Freedom Center because their old barracks were closed due to maintenance problems.
The students lived in the building with service members from other companies, never able to call the living quarters their own.
After a long wait, the Airmen have a home.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony held Feb. 24 on the front steps of Bldg. 8478, 6th Armored Calvary Road, marked the completion of renovations to the barracks. Approximately 65 Airmen, who are students at the Defense Information School, will reside in the three-story facility.
The barracks were constructed more than 50 years ago in 1955. The building initially was designed to house Advanced Individual Training students attending DINFOS. Over time, the facility was used as a permanent party barracks and then as office space.
But the condition of the building deteriorated over the years and was no longer usable. It was decided that the entire interior would be renovated, with funds allocated by Installation Management Command.
"It had been vacant for six years; it was a mess inside," said Debbie Faux, Residential Communities Initiative housing chief. "The shell of the original building was kept in place, and the entire inside was totally gutted."
Renovations began in 2009 after the Grimberg Construction Company was awarded the contract. The project was managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District.
Two years and $13 million of construction work later, the new state-of-the-art facility is ready for the Airmen to move in.
Renovations at Bldg. 8478 are part of a large training barracks upgrade project. Right next door is Bldg. 8479, another newly renovated barracks. Both facilities were awarded the contract at the same time and renovated simultaneously. It has not yet been decided who will move into Bldg. 8479.
Bldg. 8545 on 6th Armored Calvary Road is the next barracks slated for renovations. The project is currently in the design phase and scheduled to be completed in 2012.
"It's all in support for the DINFOS students," Faux said. "There will be one for the Air Force, one for the Navy, one for the Army and one for the Marines when we're all completed."
Before Bldg. 8478 was renovated, the rooms were designed to accommodate three students. Now, each room will have two Airmen, with the capability to add another person if needed. The furnished rooms also have extra space with a desk for students to do their course work.
"We try to keep the wingman concept, so there will always be two Airmen to a room," said Natasha Porcher, commander of the 336th Training Squadron Detachment 2. "We try to pair Airmen who have been here a little longer with new Airmen."
Rooms also have private bathrooms with showers, whereas other barracks on post have gang latrines, Faux said. The Airmen will also have some extra amenities such as a computer lab and day room.
"It is very nice," Porcher said "Everything is just great. It's awesome."
In addition to the computer lab and larger bedrooms, the facility is also set up with a state-of-the-art security system and wireless Internet, Faux said.
Tech Sgt. Wilfred Morgan, the military training leader for the detachment, expects the group to begin moving into the new facility Friday. Morgan has been preparing the new facility for the move for some time, setting up TVs and the computer lab.
"The captain's vision is to have everything in here, set up and ready to go," he said. "So once the Airmen move here, it's not that drastic of a change."
Morgan's big project is setting up the day room, which will provide space for students to relax and spend time together. The room is outfitted with two pool tables, a Ping-Pong table, couches and flat-screen televisions.
"They can watch movies instead of having to go the bowling alley or trying to spend money to go downtown," Porcher said.
An open area for the Airmen to congregate wasn't available at the Freedom Center. Morgan said the Airmen are looking forward to the extra space.
"The area they are in now is very nice, it's just not a lot of common area space," he said. "At the old detachment, the Airmen don't have a chance to get this kind of environment because it's so small there. This should be pretty cool for them."
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